Another Minister lauds their own incompetence
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- Date published:
4:36 pm, August 5th, 2024 - 32 comments
Categories: act, david seymour, education, schools, Social issues -
Tags: attendance, cherry-picking, lying by omission, NACT1, truancy
I what we have come to expect from this government, another minister is lauding their lack of competence. In this case David Seymour, who has been bragging about school attendance at the start of term three, and claiming the credit for that happening.
The problem is that it was behind the attendance for the start of term two. It was a worse school attendance after David Seymour tried to improve attendance. Questions should be asked about his competence as a minister.
Radio NZ has a excellent article on it “Minister David Seymour celebrates school attendance statistics despite drop in rates“. Well worth reading.
There are several points to note. David Seymour announced a “Attendance Action Plan” back in April to combat ongoing truancy, as a primary part of the governments quarter-two action plan. Increasing attendance was also a large part of Act’s policy and the direct reason for putting Seymour in as Associate Education Minister.
However that then-opposition policy was pretty much a classic opposition raising the alarm rant at low-hanging fruit. That is why they cherry-picked their statistics for the period when the country was still just coming out of lockdowns.
But Seymour was still pushing those outdated statistics in April this year on Checkpoint . This position was described as:-
Seymour pointed to New Zealand’s attendance rates having fallen from 69.5 percent in term 2015, to 39.9 percent in term two 2022.
Educators and policy makers have previously pointed to the Covid-19 pandemic as having had a long-term effect on attendance, with sickness one of the reasons for non-attendance, but Seymour pointed to rates in England of 75.1 percent in 2022, 70.3 percent in the United States, and 49.9 percent in Australia.
Yeah, you have to unpick that more than a little. But it shows up as cheery-picking and lying by omission. Hardly what a Minister of the Crown should be doing. More the actions of a rabble-rousing numbskull.
Term two 2022 was just after the end of last lock-down in Auckland where a third of New Zealands population lives. The ‘red’ lockdown levels didn’t really lift in Auckland until March 2022. At the time the Omicron was raging through most of the newly reopened country, and the vaccination program was still rolling out amongst the bulk of the population.
As far as I am aware, England, United States, and Austraila didn’t have any lockdowns in 2022. They were more advanced in their vaccination campaigns. But also previously had much larger outbreaks earlier – which had also raised population resistance with their much higher associated deaths and hospital stays. We were still in the throes of vaccinations and at our very low peaks of covid-19 infections. So David Seymour was (as is usual for him and Act) simply lying by cherry-picking non-comparable data points.
Term two 2022 was terrible for schools. That was around the time that most of the teachers I know in Auckland got their first or second dose of Covid-19 with the Omicron strain. It was pretty much just after when last major wave of infection peaked in March/April 2022 (see Policy Commons). Any sensible and responsible teacher or parent or child was self-isolating at the slightest sniffle. Yet that was the time that David Seymour chose as a comparison.
So this is just part of David Seymour’s persistent habit of cheerily cherry-picking numbers. If you’re cynical politician or just the outright stupid, and fail to look at context, this is the most effective way to lie. Every hypocrite loves a way to argue that they are correct by numbers, even when they overlook all the reasons why the number was skewed, because it gives them plausible deniability. It is amongst the most irritating traits of nut-bars and trolls.
Which is probably why Russell Palmer at RNZ scathingly wrote (my italics)
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is celebrating attendance statistics, despite it having dropped compared to the same period last term.
“It has been a promising start to term three with attendance up from the last two weeks of term two, with an overall attendance rate of 83.9 per cent. The best day was the first Tuesday of the term with 86.2 percent attendance,” Seymour said in a media release on Monday.
He called it a “bright start” to term three attendance.
The final two weeks of last term had an attendance rate of 80.8 percent. The overall average attendance rate for term 2 was 82.9 percent.
Seymour said it showed “that when the government takes education seriously, so do New Zealanders”.
However, the data shows the 83.9 percent rate for the first two weeks this term was down by nearly 2 percentage points compared to the 85.8 percent in the first two weeks of term 2 – the most comparable period.
Indeed. The first weeks in a term usually have good results compared to the tail of a term. A 3.1% increase would probably have to be regarded as pretty poor result for that particular comparison. Being down 1.9% from the start of the previous term is likely to indicate a early failure in the government and David Seymour’s ability to actually lift school attendance rates.
Looking at the actual results longer term, there is nothing remarkable about the numbers after the new policy. It is in fact easy to argue that so far the “Attendance Action Plan” is making attendance worse – not better.
BTW: If you want to have a look at the long term aggregate levels at terms (and to cherry pick your own data points like David Seymour), have a look at the student regular attendance series from 2011 to 2024 (Excel) from the Education Counts Attendance page.
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- Govt transport plan deepens fossil fuel fix
The Green Party says the Government’s new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...1 week ago
- Greens call for public to back Wrybill in BOTY and beyond
The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this year’s Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...1 week ago
- Building consents data bad news for construction
News that the annual number of building consents granted for new homes fell by more than 20 percent for the year ended July 2024, is bad news for the construction industry. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori Pay Tribute to Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII
Papā te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Gaps still to be addressed in callouts response
The Government must guarantee New Zealanders will not be at risk after making changes to the way mental health callouts are handled. ...2 weeks ago
- Poroporoaki: Kiingi Tuheitia passing
Haere e te Kīngi o te kotahitangi Haere ki o nui, ki o rahi I te pō ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party pays respects to Kiingi Tuuheitia
The Green Party is paying tribute to the Māori King, Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero XVII, after he passed away earlier this morning. ...2 weeks ago
- Potaka Brings Whakaata Māori to its Knees
Today’s Whakaata Māori announcement is yet another colossal failure from Minister Potaka, who has turned his back on te reo Māori, forcing a channel offline, putting whānau out of jobs, and cutting Māori content, says Te Pāti Māori. “A Senior Māori Minister has turned his back on Te Reo Māori. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National restricts access to disability care homes
With disability communities still reeling from the diminishing of Whaikaha, a leaked document now reveals another blow with National restricting access to residential care homes. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt must help save 230 manufacturing jobs
Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt shirks its responsibility to Whakaata Māori
The Green Party has called out the Government for allowing Whakaata Māori to effectively collapse to a shell of its former self as job cuts and programming cuts were announced at the broadcaster today. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ First Member’s Bill To Disestablish Auckland Transport
Today New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will restore democratic control over transport management in Auckland City by disestablishing Auckland Transport (AT) and returning control to Auckland Council. The ‘Local Government (Auckland Council) (Disestablishment of Auckland Transport) Amendment Bill’ intends to restore democratic oversight, control, and accountability ...2 weeks ago - Release: PM fails in constitutional role and leadership
The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...2 weeks ago
- Waititi urges Rotorua Lakes Council to immediately stop works at Lake Rotokākahi
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Member of Parliament for Waiariki, which includes Rotorua, has written to Rotorua Lakes Councillors requesting they immediately stop sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua. “Mana whenua have been urging Rotorua Lakes Council to stop works and look at alternative plans to protect the ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Patient care at risk from redundancies
Patient care could suffer as a result of further cuts to the health system, which could lose thousands of staff who keep our hospitals and clinics running. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call on Govt to wake up on child poverty
The Green Party says the latest statistics on child poverty in this country highlight the callous approach that the Government is taking on this issue of national shame. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Police are off the beat under National
Foot patrols around the country have decreased 15 percent since National took office, despite National’s Mark Mitchell claiming otherwise. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Climate denial is an insult to Pacific leaders
Winston Peters’ climate denialism at the Pacific Islands’ Forum is an embarrassing new low. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt must end solitary confinement
The Green Party is urging the Government to end the use of solitary confinement within our prisons after new research revealed some prisoners have been held in confinement for more than 900 days. ...2 weeks ago
- Fossil fuels never the answer in climate crisis
The Government’s moves to enable the import of Liquefied Natural Gas is another step away from the sustainable and affordable energy network that this country needs. ...2 weeks ago
- Government must respect Court’s Uber employee decision
Today’s court ruling upholding the rights of Uber drivers is a message to the Government that it must not tamper with employment protections. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Uber court decision recognises workers’ rights
The Court of Appeal decision that Uber drivers are entitled to employee rights such as minimum wage, sick leave, holiday pay and collective bargaining is welcome news for the drivers involved and their unions. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to divest from illegal settlements
The Labour Party is calling on the Government to tell the two major wealth funds, the NZ Super Fund and ACC, to withdraw investments from companies listed by the United Nations as complicit in Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt backtrack on fast-track still not enough
Labour welcomes news that the National Government is backing down on its reckless proposal to give Ministers final sign-off on significant projects, but it’s still not enough. ...2 weeks ago
- Fast track still on track to environmental destruction
Our environment remains at risk despite the Government's proposed changes to its controversial fast-track legislation. ...2 weeks ago
- Ohinemuri River pollution highlights mining risks
The harrowing images of the severely polluted Ohinemuri River caused by an old mining shaft could become a more common occurrence under the mining regime the Government is looking to roll out. ...2 weeks ago
- Have your say on suicide prevention
Today, September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a time to reflect on New Zealand’s confronting suicide statistics, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “Every death by suicide is a tragedy – a tragedy that affects far too many of our families and communities in New Zealand. We must do ...53 mins ago - Action to grow the rural health workforce
Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...19 hours ago
- Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...20 hours ago
- Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians
Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris. “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...21 hours ago
- Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...4 days ago
- Passport wait times back on-track
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...4 days ago
- New appointments to the FMA board
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...4 days ago
- District Court judges appointed
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...4 days ago
- Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...4 days ago
- New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...5 days ago
- Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...5 days ago
- Improving access to finance for Kiwis
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...5 days ago
- Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia
As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...5 days ago
- Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...5 days ago
- More choice and competition in building products
A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...5 days ago
- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...6 days ago
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...6 days ago
- International tourism continuing to bounce back
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...6 days ago
- Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency
The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. “That is ...6 days ago
- Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape
The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...6 days ago
- Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...6 days ago
- Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review
Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...6 days ago
- Government backs women in horticulture
“The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says. “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...6 days ago
- Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout
The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...7 days ago
- Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants. “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...7 days ago
- New priorities to protect future of conservation
Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...7 days ago
- Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti
A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...7 days ago
- IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...1 week ago
- Delivering priority connections for the West Coast
A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...1 week ago
- Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington
A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...1 week ago
- Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...1 week ago
- Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki
A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...1 week ago
- Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland
A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...1 week ago
- Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland
A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...1 week ago
- Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure
A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...1 week ago
- Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui
A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...1 week ago
- Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay
A record $657 million for transport investment in the Hawke’s Bay through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support recovery from cyclone damage and build greater resilience into the network to support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that ...1 week ago
- Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne
A record $255 million for transport investment in Gisborne through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and restore the cyclone-damaged network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With $255 million of investment over the next three years, we are committed to making sure that every transport ...1 week ago
- Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury
A record $1.8 billion for transport investment Canterbury through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and ...1 week ago
- Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...1 week ago
- Where did all these dragonflies come from?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlyn Forster, Associate Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Boris Smokrovic / Unsplash If you’ve spent much time outdoors along the east coast of Australia in the past week, particularly near waterways, you’ve probably seen something quite ...34 mins ago - Warm winters are waking snakes early. Here’s what that means for them and us
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Damian Lettoof, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Wildlife Ecotoxicology, CSIRO Chris Jolly For people in southeast Australia, springtime means soaking up the sun and getting our vitamin D levels back to baseline. But we’re not the only ones likely to be basking. ...34 mins ago
- Local papers are central to our democracy. We must do more to bring them out of crisis
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristy Hess, Professor (Communication), Deakin University Shutterstock This is the second piece in a series on the Future of Australian media. You can read the first piece in the series here. Australians who are unaware of stories about social ...49 mins ago
- New COVID vaccines may be coming to Australia. Here’s what to know about the JN.1 shots
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Griffin, Professor, Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Queensland wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock COVID vaccines have unquestionably made a huge difference during this pandemic. For example, it’s estimated COVID shots have saved more than 1.4 million lives in the World Health Organization’s ...49 mins ago
- From runways to film: the untold story of trailblazing First Nations fashion designer Stephen FitzGe...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treena Clark, Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney Larissa Behrendt (right) in a still from the film Jindalee Lady. Tracey Schramm, Author provided Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article ...49 mins ago
- Health Minister Shane Reti intervenes to scrap Hawke’s Bay health policy targeting Māori and Pasi...
Young Māori and Pasifika in Hawke's Bay are no longer eligible on the basis of their ethnicity to receive some free healthcare services after the health minister demanded the policy be changed. ...53 mins ago - ‘Disastrous’: Southland board chair belittles own council
The new chair of a troubled Southland board made statements about council finances, Māori land policy and "premature climate change modelling" prior to her appointment. ...1 hour ago
- New stormwater infrastructure is needed for Canadian cities to handle increased urban flooding
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mauricio Carvallo Aceves, PhD Candidate, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia Flooding in Montréal, and other Canadian cities, is becoming a more frequent occurrence. (Shutterstock) Urban flooding is increasingly concerning in Canada, where water drainage systems are at ...2 hours ago
- Treaty Principles Bill to now include specific mention of hapū and iwi
Cabinet has agreed on the outline of the Treaty Principles Bill that will be introduced to Parliament, with a change to include specific acknowledgement of the rights of hapū and iwi. ...2 hours ago
- Live: Political updates as debate continues over Treaty Principles Bill
The ACT party's Treaty Principles Bill will now include specific mention of hapū and iwi. ...2 hours ago
- Crowds, water guns and protests: could ‘slow tourism’ be the answer to an overtourism backlash?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Errmann, Senior Lecturer, Marketing & International Business, Auckland University of Technology With overtourism in the spotlight as the travel industry continues to rebound after the pandemic, popular destinations around the world are feeling the strain. Bali is overwhelmed by waste ...2 hours ago
- NZ’s next climate target needs to be more ambitious, says diplomat
A former top climate diplomat says New Zealand is going to have to step up its game the next time sets a climate target. ...3 hours ago
- Is the health system set up to deliver the new cancer drugs?
The Cancer Society says there is still no sign the health system is ready to administer new cancer drugs, after Pharmac confirmed its first cancer medication funding decisions since its budget boost. ...3 hours ago
- ‘Man had eel in his bum’: Remembering the story that almost broke the Herald
The Herald on Sunday is about to celebrate a significant birthday. Hayden Donnell takes a look back at one of its most defining moments. When the Herald on Sunday turns 20 next month, current and former staff will gather at their usual haunt, the Shakespeare, to reminisce. They might talk ...5 hours ago - The epic, thrilling, ridiculous story of The Spinoff’s first 10 years
Told in one crucial moment from every year, by The Spinoff’s founder Duncan Greive. The Spinoff Cover Story is our premier long-form feature offering, made with the generous support of our members. Read our other cover stories here. 2014: An accidental birth, in a corporate boardroom The Spinoff was never meant ...5 hours ago
- Mike Joy’s grave new world
On a recent Tuesday afternoon at Victoria University, I watched freshwater ecologist and longtime environmental champion Mike Joy tell an undergraduate class that their world was headed off a cliff. He was being generous; the way he sees things, the cliff has well and truly been run over. He told ...5 hours ago - The light at the end of the Home Show
“Doing it hard.”“Struggling.”“An incredibly tough year.”These were the words used to describe many people’s experiences in 2024, but particularly that of those in the construction industry.Building and related trades have certainly been in the doldrums: work has dropped off, trades shops are nearly empty, builders are working on their own ...5 hours ago
- Energy market changes too late for Ruapehu mills
Raw Energy has quietly disappeared; Prime Energy defaulted on a $17m debt. Electric Kiwi has stopped taking new customers – its co-founder concedes she’s unlikely to see the Govt step in and break up the gentailers – but a new taskforce is a starting point. The post Energy market changes ...5 hours ago
- Uber required to meet national employment law standards
Opinion: Gig economy companies such as Uber seek to enhance their profits by avoiding national regulation and by shifting their costs onto drivers The post Uber required to meet national employment law standards appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- PM still hasn’t seen draft Treaty Principles Bill
Comment: The Prime Minister has a long-held position on the Treaty Principles Bill: he doesn’t like it, he won’t support it beyond the select committee stage, but this is “MMP in action”.As David Seymour’s controversial bill continues to steal the oxygen, Christopher Luxon is making no secret of the fact ...5 hours ago
- Youth vaping is bad policy and bad politics
Opinion: Government’s vape policy is far broader than is necessary The post Youth vaping is bad policy and bad politics appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 10 September
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- Daily crossword, Tuesday 10 September
The post Daily crossword, Tuesday 10 September appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Govt resolute in allowing 10yos to be treated as criminals
If the Government is serious about lowering youth offending, it’ll raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14, Chief Children’s Commissioner says The post Govt resolute in allowing 10yos to be treated as criminals appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- East Coast can’t fell the forest for the trees
Ngāti Porou is among forestry businesses ‘bleeding money’ as slash rules force them to stop harvesting pine forests worth tens of millions of dollars The post East Coast can’t fell the forest for the trees appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Power market is ugly and asymmetrical
Analysis: Your oven doesn’t care where the electrons came from – so customers with power plants on their roof and batteries in their homes need to be able to compete fairly with large generators The post Power market is ugly and asymmetrical appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Albanese promises to legislate minimum age for kids’ access to social media
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will introduce legislation this term to enforce a minimum age for children to access social media. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will make the formal announcement on Tuesday. This follows a discussion at ...9 hours ago
- Pro-Palestinian activists hold protests to disrupt defense expo in Australia
By Efe Özkan Pro-Palestinian anti-war activists in Australia have protested in Melbourne, disrupting a defence expo set to open on Wednesday. Protesters gathered yesterday in front of companies connected to weapons manufacturing across Melbourne as police were called to prevent an escalation of the events, according to 7News Melbourne. Many ...10 hours ago
- ‘Didn’t care enough’: here’s what the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide foun...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Wadham, Professor, Director, Open Door: Understanding and Supporting Service Personnel and their Families, Flinders University After three years of investigations, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has delivered its final report with 122 recommendations. The commission has carried much ...13 hours ago
- What is 3-phase power? And how do I know if my house needs it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asma Aziz, Senior Lecturer in Power Engineering, Edith Cowan University If you’re building, renovating or planning to install a solar battery, your builder or installer might ask whether you’ve considered upgrading from single-phase to three-phase power. This upgrade often comes with a ...14 hours ago
- MSG is back. Is the idea it’s bad for us just a myth or food science?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South Australia Dr. Victor Wong/Shutterstock MSG is making a comeback. The internet’s favourite cucumber salad recipe includes fish sauce, cucumber, garlic and – as the video’s creator ...15 hours ago
- South Australia is proposing a law to ban kids under 14 from social media. How would it work?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Given, Professor of Information Sciences & Director, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT University Artie Medvedev/Shutterstock The South Australian government is moving ahead with plans to ban children under 14 from social media. Under the proposal, teens aged 14 ...15 hours ago
- Australia’s construction industry needs more hands on deck – so why is it ignoring skilled migra...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Loosemore, Professor of Construction Management, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock Australia’s construction industry is facing a perfect storm: enormous targets for building – 1.2 million new homes and A$230 billion worth of infrastructure over the next five years – at ...16 hours ago
- At Melaka Art & Performance Festival I watched dancers overcome by a trance in the rain, and the...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan W. Marshall, Associate Professor & Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University Feifei Liao performing in the village ruins. Photo by and courtesy of Teo Swee An. Melbourne-based Tony Yap is a leading figure in ...16 hours ago
- Google is facing another crucial court case in the US – and it could have major consequences for o...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Barbora Jedlickova, Senior Lecturer, School of Law, The University of Queensland One month after a US court ruled Google had illegally maintained its monopoly on internet search, the tech giant will this week face the start of yet another important antitrust case. ...16 hours ago
- Christopher Luxon refuses to speak about Treaty Principles Bill after it was handed to Cabinet
The Prime Minister says ACT leader David Seymour will have more to say on the Bill soon. ...17 hours ago
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Note that this not a post about Covid-19, the recent pandemic, or vaccinations. That isn’t the topic of my post.
I am completely uninterested in dealing with people who don't understand the theory and history of vaccinations and pandemics. Don't raise these on my post.
If you go off-topic on this post in those directions, then if I am nice I will send your comment to OpenMike. If it is too stupid or objectionable to me, then I will use it as an excuse to cull the herd.
I've watched this constant harping on about "truancy" in disbelief. Do these idiots really imagine this is something they're going to shift with a few "tough on [insert target group here]" policies? Apparently they do. What a thing to stake your reputation on.
Sure, it's possible they'll get lucky and absence rates will fall due to less illness around or improved economic conditions meaning fewer kids working to help pay the rent (not that govt's doing anything to improve economic conditions), but the alternatives – no improvement or actual worsening – are at least as likely, if not more so.
Hell I was a chronic truant out of sheer boredom. If I was in class, I was truant because I would typically be reading something else and keeping one ear open on the tedious pace the class worked at. If I was not in class I would be reading at a library (school, local, uni), or catching up on sleep because I was working somewhere (after turning 15 I did a lot of evening and night shifts) or playing with something that I shouldn't have in a workshop or playing billiards.
Somehow I passed everything, including later a couple of degrees, self learning programming, and working until I was 65.
Most of the truants I know were the geeks at school. Or they were hyperactive. They really needed to improve the quality of what they teach.
But truancy as a measure is just a blunt instrument. Unlike Seymour, teachers generally know their students. Some work well sitting in a classroom playing social dominance games. Many do well studying on their own. Only a few actually need to chased to go to school…
By reciting an anedote about yourself, you are being as cherry picking as David Seymour.
There is a wide literature showing the relationship between truancy and poor education outcomes.
There is even more literature showing the relationship between dying in a pandemic and poor education outcomes
I don't think that lying with aggregate numbers compares, in any way, with stating an example from personal experience.
It takes a deliberate effort to find the stats, and then to selectively pick only the ones that reinforce an untruth, when compared to the overall trends and context.
You appear to not understand why cherry-picking statistics is such a fraudulent characteristic. It is also particularly repugnant in a Minister of the Crown, because typically someone lying to others and probably to themselves in this manner will also later be noted for their poor decisions.
This is the RW mindset. A bit of good old Puritan flagellation of the poor to motivate them.
Their "prosperity = virtue" narrative justifies all kinds of selfishness and greed.
Forcing sick kids to go to school has the added bonus of causing more mayhem in the education sector, thus annoying the hated Teacher's Union and making it easier for slimy Seymour to justify his $153m slush fund for charter schools.
Lines up with the Atlas network philosophy of divesting and privatisation of education (probably motivated by a fair amount of racism as well).
Question Time Tuesday 6 August should see these questions raised?
Allowing landlords to remove tenants whenever they want will cause problems (children having problems getting to school and then between schools).
MW jobs 25 cent an hour increases, no FPA, leading older children to work to pay rent (casual on-call).
Stand by for an announcement that the chocolate ration will soon be "increased" to 20 grammes ….
From 45g?
Seeing as the right go with feelings…
I feel that lying with statistics as a politician should come with consequences.
I feel a pillory seems fair.
And I feel we should all then be able to bring our own rotten vegetables and fruit to remind the politician these are the consequences.
We have already had a glimpse of what the political right want in our education system – children educated just enough to do the bidding of their masters and not to have their own mind or ask difficult questions, like those commie lefties would allow them to do.
One thing you NEVER hear with the political right is the term "knowledge economy".
I've thought the same for a while. Not just in this country, but worldwide.
Children of the rich and powerful going to quality education from private schools and the young of the bottom 90% getting just enough education to work for the top 10%, little in the way of a broader mind development, so they are happy to stay in their places because not only do they know no better but they don't even think that things could be different.
At best, it's Dickensian. Give it more time, it's HG Wells' Time Machine, Morlocks vs Eloi.
…. or all those Deltas and Epsilons in Brave New World.
I’ve been saying for some time now that a cowed and ignorant populace is what the 1% are steering for, pretty much world-wide.
And we are also getting a glimpse of the results in Britain. Manipulators on the hard right can snap their fingers and their gangs of dumbass thugs go out onto the streets and go after anyone who isn't British and white. No questions asked, no brains engaged as to why we are doing this, despite the fact that the perpetrator of the Southport child murders wasn't an immigrant. A decade of Tory rule coming to fruition.
The propaganda is working as planned. Turning the working class against itself is a great way to shift the blame away from Thatcherism and Tory austerity and the bankster class impoverishing a once great nation.
Don't forget uncongested four lane toll roads for the rich to drive on while the poor take the back roads.
Surely you are not arguing that the Government is setting out to reduce education achievement? The decline of achievement over the last 20 years has been a disaster. Hopefully charter schools will flourish to the point that they cannot be reversed by a change of government.
BTW this government is dominated by the National Party, which is from the political left, not the right.
“The decline of achievement over the last 20 years has been a disaster.”
Ignore the fact that we've stopped putting kids with intellectual and developmental issues into institutions and into mainstream education, that we have had mass immigration of students and families with english as a second language, that transience due to rent difficulties had enormously increased, that poverty and the open sale of alcohol has created educational disparity and afs kids, that we've stopped teaching woodwork and metal work and tech drawing to those that are more kinesthetic, that we've privatised much of education into shit private sector money making ventures, that we removed community courses in schools that enabled parents who may have had the same difficulties as children to have another go so they could learn alongside their children – nah we're just not teaching maths properly rote tables that will fix it.
Simple solutions for simple minds.
Simple minds that seem to make up their own bullshit figures and completely ignore research.
A major study has found no change in children's average maths achievement but the gap between rich and poor has grown for Year 8s.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/494038/major-study-finds-no-change-in-children-s-average-maths-achievement
Oh and then COVID had an impact.
https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/pisa-2022-mathematics-achievement-and-experiences-of-15-year-olds
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1240595.pdf
Students from low socio-economic backgrounds in New Zealand face many disadvantages when it comes to education, and, despite government initiatives, the disparity between the poor and the well-off continues to grow in this country. New Zealand is among several countries where income inequalities are large and the impact of socio-economic background on learning outcomes is also large (OECD, 2010). The literature in New Zealand, and overseas, regarding the effects of poverty on education is varied and extensive.
You like this government have it arse about face. You thinking fixing maths in this way will lift achievement, will lift you out of poverty.
In fact giving stability and a quality of life i.e. reducing poverty will lift educational achievement.
Actually, it isn’t.
Actually, it isn’t.
You’re still the same troll whose degenerating cognitive abilities point to an evolutionary dead-end, which is just as well.
The problem with using TIMMS and PISA data for making comparisons between countries is that they don't test what is in each countries curriculum but what they think should be in every countries curriculum. So that put's NZ at a disadvantage because our curriculum tries to develop higher levels skills and not the rote learning of facts that is prevalent in other education systems.
Our curriculum is more student-led learning. And that is why our kids were world leading in "creative thinking" in Pisa (5th country overall). Teaching creative thinking is hard to do and time-consuming but it's what we want for a knowledge economy. But it means some other parts of the curriculum have to take a back seat – typically the lower levels skills that get tested in multiple choice tests like PISA/TIMMS.
And since all the results of the PISA/TIMMS exams are so politically charged in every country that takes them, I suspect there are more than a few countries putting their thumbs on the scales.
What is really a much better comparison is how local kids are performing on PAT (NZ based) tests over time. From some older data I saw, kids were performing pretty much as they ever had.
Meanwhile the kids of the wealthy will be learning about arts and opera, and visiting different countries and learning in quite different ways as they always have done.
How the rich teach their kids.
The first thing the new generation learns is how to respect the learning process itself.
Nobody hates school here. They love it. One of the fastest ways to lose a kid’s interest is to bore them with trivial, repetitive tasks. And their parents know this – so the first thing they do for their kids is build an environment where learning is actually fun. The kids still have to learn the basics. But they don’t have to do it in the same boring way that hasn’t changed in hundreds of years.
These kids don’t get bothered with grades. In fact, in many highly educated countries like Finland and Japan grates don’t even exist for the younger generation.
They develop high-functioning individuals, not factory workers.
In most classrooms, pupils speak more than the teacher. They are there to learn how to function in society and as human beings, not to be benchmarked against each other. The focus is on developing character and helping the kids find how they fit in the world. The parents are interested in what their kid is good at, not how good is their kid overall.
One of the biggest flaws of traditional education is the lack of any sort of critical thinking development. There is nothing to think about. All you have to do is memorise.
Well not for these kids. They have nothing to memorise. If they need any kind of information, they are free to look it up on the spot.
https://www.alux.com/rich-educate-their-kids/#:~:text=Teamwork,solve%20if%20they%20work%20alone.
And yeah I know it is an advertisement but it reflects the truth of the matter.
So…
The government is wrong to make changes, then.
If it ain't broke…
Sorry, had eye surgery and misread the piece.
Yes, there's no reason why state kids can't get the same curriculum as the rich, even if they do want to their kids educated in gated communities.
Not according to actual statistics when they aren't cherry-picked by lying fools who seem to live in the early part of the 20th century – and who still seem to judge education by the ability to rote learn like a parrot.
Not when I look at the people coming out of the education system. The overall level of education coming out into tertiary education or the workspace vastly exceeds what I saw 5 decades ago, or 2 decades ago. They have a wider breadth of base knowledge, better fundamentals to build from, and have the skills to find an assimilate knowledge rapidly and deeply.
Curiously I have never met anyone in the workspaces that I have frequented which are seriously innovative and engineering orientated, who actually went through charter schools.
The failure rate of what charter schools have been setup in NZ, usually lavishly state funded, doesn't induce any confidence in them. The subsequent dumping of their students to change schools, often frequently, doesn't seem to have helped their ability to be productive in the economy.
But this could be sampling error because my main exposure to the young happens in workplaces that require high levels of STEM skills and an ability to think. But I suspect that charter schools show a major inability to help gain those skills in a way that suits the modern knowledge economy.
parr for the course actually, appoint an ACT mp as the minister and results will trend down/go backward.
Can you point to any education achievement indicators that did not decline during the tenure of the last government?
Can you point to ones that did?
AND
provide evidence?
And evidence that is NOT purely NACT propaganda?
That would be my question as well. I don't know of any.
David Seymour is either related to Trump, shares the same dangerous DNA or is just a plain stupid little nincompoop.
How the hell this country has descended into MAGA style politics is a puzzle. Deserves a Royal Inquiry.
I think more like trump and Seymour are related to the Koch Bros.
“Koch addicts”