The Government’s education policy reform has striking parallels to those put forward by researcher Michael Johnston and right-wing think tank the New Zealand Initiative.
A single mandated "Reform" is not a good plan for teaching kids to read. The full article is not available yet from Newsroom but is usually opened up in a day or so.
The Ministerial Advisory Group, led by Dr Johnston, will review the curricula and teaching methods to provide teachers with the clarity and tools needed to teach these core subjects effectively. Dr Johnston will lead a world-class team, including literacy expert Emeritus Professor James Chapman, mathematician Distinguished Professor Gaven Martin and curriculum design expert Professor Elizabeth Rata. Work will be done in the first half of 2024, ready for implementation in 2025.
Can you cite any evidence against 'full on phonics'
Because there is 40 years of credible research showing that the 'balanced literacy' approach, beloved on the MoE, delivers significantly worse outcomes for kids struggling to read.
This is a new article – but provides links to scientific research,which you could follow through, if you want to educate yourself.
Yes some kids learn to read using balanced literacy – these are the kids who will learn to read under just about any circumstance – and often are self-starters who learn without any formal teaching. They will also learn to read using phonics-based instruction.
" Structured literacy isn’t just a passing trend; it’s firmly grounded in research and evidence-based practices. Studies conducted in recent years have highlighted its effectiveness in teaching reading, particularly to individuals with dyslexia and other learning challenges (Shaywitz, 2018). This evidence-backed approach has caught the attention of educators and stakeholders who are searching for proven methods to enhance literacy outcomes. "
"Across the globe, concerns are mounting over literacy levels among both children and adults. Structured literacy emerges as a promising solution to this literacy crisis. Recent research has highlighted its effectiveness in addressing the diverse needs of learners, fostering a culture of literacy excellence in schools and beyond (Kilpatrick, 2019). "
And not only cutting support staff it is "actually" also ending the reading recovery programme – betting the house on the change working without any back up.
" Structured literacy isn’t just a passing trend; it’s firmly grounded in research and evidence-based practices. Studies conducted in recent years have highlighted its effectiveness in teaching reading, particularly to individuals with dyslexia and other learning challenges (Shaywitz, 2018). This evidence-backed approach has caught the attention of educators and stakeholders who are searching for proven methods to enhance literacy outcomes. "
There have been arguments about different approaches to "teaching reading" since the 1970's. A specialist reading teacher told me that either of the two main methods worked well, but neither would cover all children, and sometimes one would be better at different ages / maturity. From memory (and I hope someone corrects this if it is wrong), one method concentrates on whole words, another on the sound of individual letters or letter groups. Regardless of teaching method, children benefit from being read stories by their parents – by seeing reading as enjoyable, and by being able to look at the book while being read to and relate to pictures and in due course written words. We have much better understanding of learning difficulties which individual children have; and they arise from a range of reasons, including different ways in which their brains develop and understanding at different ages, as well as exposure to reading in the home. Poverty can affect school success, and there is no doubt that we are more divided economically than we were pre-Muldoon. Ideally teachers should be aware of mental developments that link to certain stages of reading / understanding, and are able to give at least a small amount of individual time to each child to assess how they are learning as well as measuring progress. Simple measurements without appropriate analysis can lead to wrong conclusions.
The standard of literacy in NZ has deteriorated significantly over recent decades, and we have to act to address that decline. During the formative years of my children's education, literacy teaching generally followed a whole language approach ((PDF) Incorporating phonics within a New Zealand whole language programme (researchgate.net)), about which James Chapman, Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology at Massey University wrote:
"The whole language approach has been discredited by scientific studies of literacy for nearly four decades. Extensive research shows that achievement in reading depends on two processes: the ability to recognise the words in text accurately and quickly, and the use of language skills such as vocabulary and syntax. (see, Tunmer & Hoover: https://doi.org/10.1080/19404158.2019.1614081). Progress in learning to read words requires the ability to translate letters and letter patterns into phonological forms (i.e., letter-sound relationships). This enables beginning readers to develop sight word knowledge, which in turn frees up cognitive resources to focus on sentence meaning." Abandon our Literacy Myth — Lifting Literacy Aotearoa
It seems clear a return to structured literacy is long overdue.
"The Government’s education policy reform has striking parallels to those put forward by researcher Michael Johnston and right-wing think tank the New Zealand Initiative."
So what does that prove? Is the NZ Institute necessarily wrong about everything because it's "right-wing"?
What is your substantive objection to structured literacy? What is the evidence against it?
Possibly that is where the large shipment of wet bus tickets is destined for, although there are other places and industries that might need them too. /sarc
Similar to the knocking the 88 year old over in Federal st Auckland.
Don't believe everything you read. Van der Kaay writes for the so-called "Democracy Project" run by Bryce Edwards.
Edwards has for many years consistently criticized parties from the Left while acting as an apologist for the Right.
The Greens have had 3 unfortunate events.
Shoplifting by a sick and clinically depressed member. She has been sent packing-dealt with.
The as yet unproven migrant exploitation accusation. Under investigation so perhaps best to hold fire on this, but if found true is a bad look and she too will be sent packing.
JAG's crossing the floor and shouting at Doocey (after the lies he yelled provoked her) which is under investigation, and the accusation that she yelled at an anti-cycleway zealot who it turns out, according to posts on TS, is a bit nasty. JAG has an excellent (and to my knowledge unblemished) record for the Greens over many years, both inside and outside parliament.
The behaviour of MPs is worrying. If you extend your timeline a little further back it would include Elizabeth Kerekere and her bullying that forced her to resign.
Here is an article that says it better than me.
For me it is less about the individuals, more the attitude that underpins their actions. A sense of entitlement that is concerning.
Yes, there are two sides to every story. I can't help but feel Tana will end up resigning.
Genters righteous anger with Doocey is particularly hypocritical. Our first Mental Health minister who has been brave and open about his struggles.
Frankly the recent commentary here on TS, excusing Genter's behaviour with Dooey, Cranfield and Newcomb in that she was provoked, reeks of the Jake Heke defence "Look what you made me do."
Come off it gsays. Genter has been in parliament 13 years behaving, to my knowledge, impeccably.
Then she gets het up because Doocey yells lies at her (completely ignoring the real spending facts on roading) so she crosses the aisle to show him the actual numbers in the report.
In an obvious, coordinated and probably made-up hit National drags up a witness to another episode where a passionate JAG meets an anti-cycleway (code for National/ACT voter) person who claims (unproven, no witnesses) she too was yelled at by JAG. Note: Nobody would offer to video a meeting where they were yelling at a constituent.
It was a very dumb thing to do to cross the aisle and JAG should get a sanction from the privileges committee for this-presumably they will take into account the previous 13 years of not doing this. Note: apparently crossing the aisle is not against the rules.
I don't see the relevance of Doocey's mental history (you are clutching at straws here). If you are fit to be in parliament you are fit to be part of the rough and tumble. In this case he bears some of the blame by yelling obvious lies in the first place. Maybe this will teach him to stick to yelling the truth.
In an obvious, coordinated and probably made-up hit National drags up a witness to another episode where a passionate JAG meets an anti-cycleway (code for National/ACT voter) person who claims (unproven, no witnesses) she too was yelled at by JAG. Note: Nobody would offer to video a meeting where they were yelling at a constituent.
(code for National/ACT voter) This is where outsiders away from Wellington are coming a cropper.
The lack of consultation by WCC and concerns about it seems to be apolitical. It is not a left/right issue. To me it is a clash between one eyed and multi eyed.
So those that can see that if we make it difficult for residents to survive then Wgtn becomes less desirable to live. Our suburbs should not be built just to cater for one demographic. It shocked me when talking to people that many of them are ignorant about:
the best way of life is for the elderly to remain in their own homes instead of warehousing them in retirement homes/villages Our suburbs will have more and more people over 50-60 years as the years go on.
to do this services come to the elderly
that while they are at work the suburbs are alive with people such as meals on wheels, elder care people, district nurses, delivery of groceries, meat/vegetable etc. Some of these services are provided by people under time pressure and need to be able to park close to their clients.
our homes will continue to be wanted for renovation and that means tradies and bins/ deliveries to DIYers.
PS An electorate MP represents all the people in the electorate not just the ones who may have voted for her or who she or we perceive might have voted for her.
If The Greens have only just become aware of this then they need to act on it now. It doesn't matter really when the issues happened. It is not as if the incidents are being ignored by the Greens. They do seem to fit a pattern with the Cranfields person as well.
Hopefully JAG will have the parlt stuff dealt with by the Privileges cttee and the comms issues dealt with by The Greens and she will keep on being the no1 transport knowledgeable person in the house.
Of course the more we ourselves blow the issue up the less attention is paid to the Peters/Carr possible defamation stuff.
I suggest that you read that article again. You clearly didn't read it very cardfully the first time.
There were two people who are mentioned in the article. The first was the florist. That happened recently. She is Laura Newcombe.
The second was about another person, Nicola Cranfield, at another shop, Cranfields, in another part of town. That is the one that Genter claims happened about eighteen months ago.
When you have read the story a bit more carefully you will see that they are different people, at different times, but with the same rabid dog attitude by JAG.
There is an even earlier one about her involving a then WCC Councillor Simon Woolf when she also lit into him in a rather deranged manner. Some people, like Genter, simply never learn do they?
"In this case he bears some of the blame by yelling obvious lies in the first place. Maybe this will teach him to stick to yelling the truth."
A less kind person would mention victim blaming, I will leave it at the Heke defence.
"In an obvious, coordinated and probably made-up hit National drags up a witness to another episode where a passionate JAG meets an anti-cycleway (code for National/ACT voter) person who claims (unproven, no witnesses) she too was yelled at by JAG. Note: Nobody would offer to video a meeting where they were yelling at a constituent."
Maybe, maybe not. Yr conspiracies don't matter.
Genter did make a boo-boo in the house and these NAct voters and in Genter's own words show she has form for this behaviour. "I accept that sometimes when dealing with people who are very upset, I haven't been able to stay calm and I need to know when to walk away."
Anyhoo, my response to you was more about the glossing over of quite a few (let's be kind) mis-steps from senior Green MPs and what they have in common .
I am a big fan of Genter too, and rather than take the Officer Barbrady approach – "Nothing to see here folks" I want our comrades in The Greens to get their shit together.
gsays-I didn't gloss over anything. The Kerekere bullying happened well over a year ago which is not anywhere close to the period I am commenting on above in relation to Kaay's biased article.
I commented on the three relatively current events that the MSM media seems to be trying to portray as a pattern, where nothing could be further from the truth.
If we are to start going back a couple of years there are National MP misdemeanors as long as my arm.
I couldn't care less for yr whataboutism regards Nat MPs. They ain't my team.
Clearly there is a worrying aspect to these misdemeanours. Tana, from what little we know appears to be the worst of the lot.
We all hop up and down and question the Nats and their selection process in regards Uffendell but it would appear you would have us believe the Greens have nothing to worry about, it's all a MSM/NActs conspiracy!
I thought it was a simplistic rehashing of the wholesale pearl clutching we have seen around this..
Devoid of any insights…
Genter spat the dummy at the facile droolings of doocey..on an issue she is both knowledgeable and passionate about ..
.and she broke parliamentary protocol..by crossing the floor to remonstrate with him..to wave her arms at him ..wave a raft of papers at him .
That's it .!…
Yes.. it's a breach of parliamentary protocol ..so the privileges committee will decide her censure…
That's it..!
..and as for the flower lady interaction…the brief interview genter gave the always/easily excited maiki Sherman revealed that she first went in there to buy flowers for a sick friend…
Not to confront the flower lady..
This is all looking like a beat up..
And to use this minor brouhaha to claim the greens are in some kind of crisis and need to 'rebuild'..is frankly farcical.
The florist obviously challenged her on the cycle-lanes…and genter engaged..and it could be said over-reacted by pulling her phone out..
That's it..!
Everyone really needs to get a bit of a grip…
..and to breathe through their noses..
This is all heading for a mountain -out-of-a-molehill-award..
That's it indeed. Basically some inappropriate behaviour, but no suggestion whatever of actual moral turpitude. A token penalty and a warning should cover it, to my mind.
That florist does seem to have some "form" all right. What I take from it is that she's relied in her business mostly on one-time off-the-shelf purchases by the semi-captive market offered by hospital visitors. Dealing with large or special orders don't seem to be her forte. And now that bike lanes have had the effect of reducing that casual trade, she's begun to feel the pinch.
You'd be so wrong if you think that this is the type of florist that has the tied up bouquets that you get from the supermarkets.
This florist is more the old time/type one where they might do flowers for weddings, graduations, whole venues. They are an Interflora florist catering for birthdays all around the south area. Interflora have the deliveries by van or sometimes cycle courier. Mostly van as the flowers need to be kept in tip top condition. I think I'd be right in saying that they would be the only one in Newtown, Berhampore, Island bay. I think there is one in Kilbirnie.
That part of the shopping centre has been poorly treated over the years. Now the area is a rat run, any shops are suffering. Agencies such as the Cancer Society, closer to the hospital that used to have easy access to a parking area are hemmed in by narrow-ish entrances over a bus lane. If you misjudge your turn and turn too early and have to go along the bus lanes a little way then a camera will ensure you get a ticket for $150.00.
Further down in Adelaide road at least two businesses I know of have up sticks and are moving because even though WCC say that they have mainaitned entrances for businesses these in practice are difficult to use being across a bus lane and a cycle lane with myriads of green paint, unforgiving kerbing and OTT flag things.
One of our fellow posters has indicated that people in the area are aware of how these people have been treated and much of the sympathy is going the way of the shopkeepers and not JAG.
Not to mention that this second incident actually happened about 18 months ago but the florist conveniently forgot to tell us that.
This is so obviously a National smear job.
Good on Mairiameno Kapa-Kingi for standing up to the tone-deaf apologists whose comments do nothing but enable the insidiousness of what this government's trying to do to its Treaty partner to continue.
did you listen to her speech? I watched the short version in Chris' link. You may not agree with her perspective, but the word exterminate used in context was coherent and understandable. She is saying that government policy will remove Māori ability to remain Māori. She's not saying the government will genocide Māori people, she is saying that without their culture they will become white and thus cease to exist.
Which many people, myself included, agree is true. As far as I can tell, ACT are intent on removing cultural protection, NZF will play the populist, anti-tikanga card, and National will slow things down a bit but will nevertheless attempt to remove Māori power and self-determination.
Agree with this summation Weka, I also listend and she was careful but doesn't stop the 'shock, horror' people exclaiming. Also agree with the summary of what ACT etc are up to.
Yes I did listen to her speech. Not only is the use of the word unwise, it is entirely untrue both literally and in context.
There is no attempt to "remove ability to remain Māori" (your words I know), nor is there any attempt to remove Māori culture. If there was, I and many others would be joining her in the fight.
My point is that you haven’t challenged her claims. You’ve simply reduced a 700 word explanaiton down to one word, named it hyberbole and said she is wrong.
"My point is that you haven’t challenged her claims."
I have challenged her claims.
There is no attempt to "remove ability to remain Māori" (your words I know), nor is there any attempt to remove Māori culture. If there was, I and many others would be joining her in the fight.
I wasn’t asking you to prove a negative, I was saying you haven’t made a challenge. That would require you explaining your thinking about why she is wrong. But never mind.
That does not in any way "remove Māori ability to remain Māori." Even if it wanted to, the government could not remove anyone's ability to remain Maori.
And the government has not tried to "erase or eliminate the langauge from the Public Service." It has simply told government departments to communicate primarily in English, and to use English names of government departments. A reasonable directive, considering the number of Kiwis who understand English greatly exceeds the number who understand Maaori.
The theory of the Minister is that Oranga Tamariki's governing principles should be colour-blind, which is just another word for white supremacy, because to say we are all one people is really to say we should all be white people, erasing the very hue of our identity and culture that makes us whole as tangata Māori, tamariki Māori, mokopuna Māori.
The government intends to remove section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act. That's the section that seeks to change outcomes for Māori kids in Māori terms.
I'm not sure what you think you're proving by quoting an activist like Kapa-Kingi? Do you actually believe the CRT line that colour-blindness is a "just another word for white supremacy"?
And what makes you think section 7AA is some kind of magic formula for Maaori advancement? Was it not section 7AA that saw Maaori kids reverse uplifted from white couples who apparently provided a stable, loving family environment? What do you mean by "in Maaori terms"? I would have thought that a stable, loving family environment was up near the top of any child's "cultural needs".
All I can say in defence of your claim that "government policy will remove Māori ability to remain Māori" is that it isn't quite as hyperbolic as Kapa-Kingi's claim.
You mean ridiculous, performative outrage from NACT?
Who on one hand like to shit all over the left for the perceived ills of cancel culture and "wokeness", and on the other start clutching at their pearls whenever they are criticised or get called out for being wankers.
Who's the snowflake now, David et al?
[lprent: I’ll let this through despite the handle change. But decide which one you want to use going forward. ]
What I took from her interview on RNZ this morning was that the word "exterminate" was used deliberately to provoke a response, because words like "deculturation" go over peoples’ heads. The APA's definition of deculturation says:
the processes, intentional or unintentional, by which traditional cultural beliefs or practices are suppressed or otherwise eliminated as a result of contact with a different, dominant culture.
I took this as her actual point – the elimination of the Maori worldview as an influential or important force in modern contemporary social, political or economic life.
I'd agree that the Coalition is attempting to do that – particularly ACT. But actually using the word "exterminate" while knowing that 99% of people would assume it to mean physical extermination/genocide, is tactically stupid. Too much of this sort of thing will mean that parties of the liberal centre-left/right (i.e. Labour) may be backed into a corner where they have no option but to rule out TPM as a partner.
Unfortunately the response that she's achieved (except from the already convinced) is that she is in questionable contact with reality. (Extermination is a fair description of what is going on in Gaza, not that what is happening to Maori in NZ).
Her message (whatever it was) has been lost in the language she chose to use.
Unless her sole desire was to get her name in the headlines – this has been a communications fail.
However, TPM have recent history of doing exactly this. Which makes me think that this is all about playing to their party base, and that they have zero interest in ever being part of a government – and a permanent desire to be on the cross-benches, criticizing everyone.
Growing the party's vote and sitting on teh cross benches free to criticises government policy whoever is in government is not necessarily a bad thing, and might be preferable to being in a centre left Hipkins led government.
Perhaps it's my belief structure getting in the way, but it has always seemed rather pointless to go into Parliament without the desire to actually make changes. And you have to be in government to make changes.
I think it's that last sentence that's at issue. The Greens have long demonstrated how change can be achieved without being in government. If TPM spend the next 6 years establishing their policies in the public eye as well as growing their vote, that makes sense to me. The long haul.
Maybe she should have used a vivid everyday phrase, such as "consigning Maori culture to the rubbish bin", or something equally vigorous which however stops short of implying actual physical destruction of her people. "Deculturation" (I didn't even know that was a word) wouldn't have done – too unfamiliar and open to misinterpretation.
I see Lynn has moderated, sorry that took so long.
For future reference, the quickest way to get moderator attention is to reply to one of the mods anywhere on site. We check the Replies tab and see who is talking to us. If you don't get a response, do it again.
In this case you could reply to me (or any mod who is active on the site on the day) and put a link to the comments/thread where the issues are. You don't have to go into details, just link and say there is a serious problem and ask for a mod to take a look.
totally understand. Even just replying to an older commenter of mine and asking me to take a look would work (no link needed, I just need to know there is something important to look at).
Absolutely agree with Bearded Git. Doocey should be sanctioned for knowingly lying(imo). They do this to try to create a response such as he got from JAG. Precisely what an Iq and Eq challenged person resorts to when they can’t actually debate like an educated and intelligent opponent. As we have seen recently from the garbled car crash that was MMitchell. By the look on Simone’s face this is a tactical method that is going to be ongoing. Just for Simone’s amusement. They are not in Government for the right reasons. Dormant Doocey is just there as a yes vote to everything COC ups want to repeal or pass into legislation. The Right Honourable he IS NOT.
Green baiting, especially the Wellington MPs, is National's goal. In their minds they are getting payback for the Greens kicking National's butt (as well as Labour's) in Wellington at the last election
All these "incidents" are not co-incidental, they are a deliberate plan by National to disgrace the Greens. Expect more "incidents" to come to light as their plan develops.
That programme will be bulk purchased by the government and delivered to schools, which Seymour said would "significantly reduce the cost of the programme".
"Students will receive nutritious food that they want to eat. It will be made up of the sorts of food items thousands of mums and dads put into lunch boxes every day for their kids – forget quinoa, couscous, and hummus, it will be more like sandwiches and fruit," Seymour said.
When asked about food items like sushi for lunches, he said, "If you don't get that sushi's woke, then I don't know how to wake you up, but the key message here is that we are introducing the kinds of foods that are put in the lunchboxes of children, the other 75 percent of kids, who rely on their parents to send their lunch".
The Government has sunk to a new low with today’s announcement that they will replace high quality nutritious lunches with largely processed snack foods for Intermediate and High School students, as families continue to struggle with food insecurity.
“This announcement is a devastating lost opportunity to promote healthy eating habits that protect against chronic diseases that result in major health system costs,” Health Coaltiion Aotearoa (HCA) co-chair Professor Lisat Te Morenga said.
A definitive list of woke and non-woke foods [8 May 2024]
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods.
I'd liken Seymour to a worm, except worms are useful. Does he fear 'woke' food will turn kids (future voters) 'woke'? What a turd – nope, also more useful than Seymour.
Woke up Kiwis – they're here!
They're here already! You're next! You're next, You're next…!
Hummus is a staple food made from cheap as chips chick peas. My wife who’s been teaching in a wide decile range of primary schools for over forty years says she’s seen plenty of hummus in school lunches but has never seen quinoa or couscous. Are you sure you and your dorky mate mate have your facts right?
I'm guessing quinoa features in some of the meals for kids with food allergies eg those that need gluten-free.
Or Seymour is making shit up. The whole things has the same vibe as Penny Simmonds going on about disabled carers getting massages. Afaik she never produced any evidence of this nor meaningful explanation. It was superficial bullshit designed to make it harder to get at the truth of what they were doing.
Well, here we are with a major movement developing in the student aged population in the US (and increasingly the world) against the slaughter in Gaza.
The Biden admin thought that a few swift kicks at the encampments by riot police or rabid supporters of Israel would cause them to hastily pack up camp and go home to Mummy and Daddy.
Instead we are looking at the development of a movement that may equal that of the Vietnam protests. Gazans are already making signs thanking the students of the world for their compassion and humanity.
And just to give everyone the morale boost they needed, along comes Macklemore with a smart and defiant mainstream rap that really says what youth says best to authority with all proceeds going to UNRWA
There arent a lot of bright spots for Gaza now with the Rafah invasion seemingly in motion but this is definitely one.
Edit: I thought the embed code was enough to get the song onto the page but apparently not so you’ll need to click through.
The BHN episode linked here adds important context to some of the comments on Māori politics today. The status quo of New Zealand is still detrimental to Tangata Whenua.
We have made some good progress in the last few years, supporting Māori culture and Te Reo and wellbeing. But to deny that the current government is trying to erase all those gains is simple ignorance.
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
Opinion: New Health NZ commissioner Lester Levy is authorised to assume operational leadership – chief executive Margie Apa is effectively relegated to his operational deputy The post All-powerful Levy is feudal baron of a $28b fiefdom appeared first on Newsroom. ...
So that is where the Reading "Reform" came from!
A single mandated "Reform" is not a good plan for teaching kids to read. The full article is not available yet from Newsroom but is usually opened up in a day or so.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/05/08/meet-the-man-behind-the-governments-education-policy/?utm_source=Newsroom&utm_campaign=b160c99eea-Daily_Briefing+08.05.2024&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-b160c99eea-95522477&mc_cid=b160c99eea&mc_eid=88a3081e75
Emeritus Professor James Chapman,
https://www.liftingliteracyaotearoa.org.nz/blog/abandon-our-literacy-myth
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2312/S00172/new-zealand-initiative-celebrates-senior-fellow-michael-johnstons-appointment-as-chair-of-ministerial-advisory-group.htm
James Chapman has been labouring on about phonics for close on 40 years inspite of evidence against full on phonics
Can you cite any evidence against 'full on phonics'
Because there is 40 years of credible research showing that the 'balanced literacy' approach, beloved on the MoE, delivers significantly worse outcomes for kids struggling to read.
This is a new article – but provides links to scientific research,which you could follow through, if you want to educate yourself.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/122697726/advisor-under-fire-as-literacy-group-says-reading-programme-failing-children
Yes some kids learn to read using balanced literacy – these are the kids who will learn to read under just about any circumstance – and often are self-starters who learn without any formal teaching. They will also learn to read using phonics-based instruction.
" Structured literacy isn’t just a passing trend; it’s firmly grounded in research and evidence-based practices. Studies conducted in recent years have highlighted its effectiveness in teaching reading, particularly to individuals with dyslexia and other learning challenges (Shaywitz, 2018). This evidence-backed approach has caught the attention of educators and stakeholders who are searching for proven methods to enhance literacy outcomes. "
"Across the globe, concerns are mounting over literacy levels among both children and adults. Structured literacy emerges as a promising solution to this literacy crisis. Recent research has highlighted its effectiveness in addressing the diverse needs of learners, fostering a culture of literacy excellence in schools and beyond (Kilpatrick, 2019). "
Unlocking Literacy: The Rise of Structured Literacy in Education – Cognition Education
Structured literacy emerges as a promising solution to this literacy crisis
So not actually proven, then.
From my limited (20years+) teaching experience, one size does NOT fit all.
Is it not the most inclusive approach (albeit including more of the complexity of language)?
So long as the remedial backup can cover those who find this all too much …
What remedial backup? The govt is cutting funding for things like support staff.
Reading recovery is done by teachers.
And not only cutting support staff it is "actually" also ending the reading recovery programme – betting the house on the change working without any back up.
I missed this
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/05/stanford-confirms-end-of-reading-recovery-programme-in-schools-doesn-t-rule-out-job-losses.html
Reading Recovery is throwing the same teaching model (which has already demonstratedly not worked) to the student – just in a one-on-one environment.
Actually changing the teaching model is a much better solution (and allocation of resources).
I'll pick that there will be a reading recovery programme of some sort for those not keeping up with the class …
Some will then say, we should have had it from the get go.
If it's a phonics based reading recovery – you might have an argument. But the current one achieves very little at considerable cost.
Actually better to invest the money in teaching properly from the beginning.
There will always be those who need help catching up.
Not providing for that is part of the arrogance of system change.
And the one on one teaching should be premised on the way the individual can best learn/be taught to understand.
Did you not read the first quote?
" Structured literacy isn’t just a passing trend; it’s firmly grounded in research and evidence-based practices. Studies conducted in recent years have highlighted its effectiveness in teaching reading, particularly to individuals with dyslexia and other learning challenges (Shaywitz, 2018). This evidence-backed approach has caught the attention of educators and stakeholders who are searching for proven methods to enhance literacy outcomes. "
Unlocking Literacy: The Rise of Structured Literacy in Education – Cognition Education
And then there's this:
Structured literacy provides solid foundations – Education Gazette
One size may not fit all, but what we have been doing has failing, and structured literacy is an evidence based, proven solution.
There have been arguments about different approaches to "teaching reading" since the 1970's. A specialist reading teacher told me that either of the two main methods worked well, but neither would cover all children, and sometimes one would be better at different ages / maturity. From memory (and I hope someone corrects this if it is wrong), one method concentrates on whole words, another on the sound of individual letters or letter groups. Regardless of teaching method, children benefit from being read stories by their parents – by seeing reading as enjoyable, and by being able to look at the book while being read to and relate to pictures and in due course written words. We have much better understanding of learning difficulties which individual children have; and they arise from a range of reasons, including different ways in which their brains develop and understanding at different ages, as well as exposure to reading in the home. Poverty can affect school success, and there is no doubt that we are more divided economically than we were pre-Muldoon. Ideally teachers should be aware of mental developments that link to certain stages of reading / understanding, and are able to give at least a small amount of individual time to each child to assess how they are learning as well as measuring progress. Simple measurements without appropriate analysis can lead to wrong conclusions.
The standard of literacy in NZ has deteriorated significantly over recent decades, and we have to act to address that decline. During the formative years of my children's education, literacy teaching generally followed a whole language approach ((PDF) Incorporating phonics within a New Zealand whole language programme (researchgate.net)), about which James Chapman, Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology at Massey University wrote:
"The whole language approach has been discredited by scientific studies of literacy for nearly four decades. Extensive research shows that achievement in reading depends on two processes: the ability to recognise the words in text accurately and quickly, and the use of language skills such as vocabulary and syntax. (see, Tunmer & Hoover: https://doi.org/10.1080/19404158.2019.1614081). Progress in learning to read words requires the ability to translate letters and letter patterns into phonological forms (i.e., letter-sound relationships). This enables beginning readers to develop sight word knowledge, which in turn frees up cognitive resources to focus on sentence meaning." Abandon our Literacy Myth — Lifting Literacy Aotearoa
It seems clear a return to structured literacy is long overdue.
"The Government’s education policy reform has striking parallels to those put forward by researcher Michael Johnston and right-wing think tank the New Zealand Initiative."
So what does that prove? Is the NZ Institute necessarily wrong about everything because it's "right-wing"?
What is your substantive objection to structured literacy? What is the evidence against it?
What is this country coming to:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/516147/watch-elderly-woman-knocked-to-the-ground-in-unprovoked-attack
Some entitled bastard in a bad mood so he picks on an 88yr old who is a bit unsteady on her feet. Appalling.
I saw that on the news Anne. Bloody disgusting. I hope he gets a decent judge that is not afraid to hand down a decent sentence with no discounts.
How about this one
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/northland-teens-shocking-act-to-push-elderly-man-off-his-bike-for-fun-criticised/VED5JHGPBJA2BBX4OXHW7ZHDGQ/
Quite appalling targeting of elderly (and largely defenseless) people.
Any bets as to the penalties likely to be imposed?
Possibly that is where the large shipment of wet bus tickets is destined for, although there are other places and industries that might need them too. /sarc
Similar to the knocking the 88 year old over in Federal st Auckland.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/516147/watch-elderly-woman-knocked-to-the-ground-in-unprovoked-attack
A reasonable commentary on the consistent scandals befalling the Green Party over the last 6 months.
https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2024/05/08/green-party-grapples-with-persistent-scandals/
It's a mighty big rebuild they have to do.
Let's hope they do a better rebuild than the Nats. Their current gene pool is so shallow it's scary.
Don't believe everything you read. Van der Kaay writes for the so-called "Democracy Project" run by Bryce Edwards.
Edwards has for many years consistently criticized parties from the Left while acting as an apologist for the Right.
The Greens have had 3 unfortunate events.
Kaay’s article is not worth a hill of beans.
The greens are my former favorite party.
The behaviour of MPs is worrying. If you extend your timeline a little further back it would include Elizabeth Kerekere and her bullying that forced her to resign.
Here is an article that says it better than me.
For me it is less about the individuals, more the attitude that underpins their actions. A sense of entitlement that is concerning.
Yes, there are two sides to every story. I can't help but feel Tana will end up resigning.
Genters righteous anger with Doocey is particularly hypocritical. Our first Mental Health minister who has been brave and open about his struggles.
Frankly the recent commentary here on TS, excusing Genter's behaviour with Dooey, Cranfield and Newcomb in that she was provoked, reeks of the Jake Heke defence "Look what you made me do."
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/03-05-2024/can-the-green-partys-holy-mission-survive-its-fallible-disciples
Come off it gsays. Genter has been in parliament 13 years behaving, to my knowledge, impeccably.
Then she gets het up because Doocey yells lies at her (completely ignoring the real spending facts on roading) so she crosses the aisle to show him the actual numbers in the report.
In an obvious, coordinated and probably made-up hit National drags up a witness to another episode where a passionate JAG meets an anti-cycleway (code for National/ACT voter) person who claims (unproven, no witnesses) she too was yelled at by JAG. Note: Nobody would offer to video a meeting where they were yelling at a constituent.
It was a very dumb thing to do to cross the aisle and JAG should get a sanction from the privileges committee for this-presumably they will take into account the previous 13 years of not doing this. Note: apparently crossing the aisle is not against the rules.
I don't see the relevance of Doocey's mental history (you are clutching at straws here). If you are fit to be in parliament you are fit to be part of the rough and tumble. In this case he bears some of the blame by yelling obvious lies in the first place. Maybe this will teach him to stick to yelling the truth.
(code for National/ACT voter) This is where outsiders away from Wellington are coming a cropper.
The lack of consultation by WCC and concerns about it seems to be apolitical. It is not a left/right issue. To me it is a clash between one eyed and multi eyed.
So those that can see that if we make it difficult for residents to survive then Wgtn becomes less desirable to live. Our suburbs should not be built just to cater for one demographic. It shocked me when talking to people that many of them are ignorant about:
PS An electorate MP represents all the people in the electorate not just the ones who may have voted for her or who she or we perceive might have voted for her.
I have just become aware that the "incident" with the florist actually happened about 18 MONTHS AGO.
The news reports about it were very obviously slanted to make people believe that it happened shortly before the parliamentary incident.
So how the f… does this have relevance to the parliamentary incident?
It isn't like she used a wooden bed leg to bash someone as a certain National MP who is currently in parliament.
She had an argument with someone, one and a half years ago.
One and a half years ago!
And that was buried in the bottom of the article.
Big f…n deal!
The right are out to get her, they will stop at nothing!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350270955/julie-anne-genter-was-buying-flowers-dying-friend-amid-florist-confrontation
If The Greens have only just become aware of this then they need to act on it now. It doesn't matter really when the issues happened. It is not as if the incidents are being ignored by the Greens. They do seem to fit a pattern with the Cranfields person as well.
Hopefully JAG will have the parlt stuff dealt with by the Privileges cttee and the comms issues dealt with by The Greens and she will keep on being the no1 transport knowledgeable person in the house.
Of course the more we ourselves blow the issue up the less attention is paid to the Peters/Carr possible defamation stuff.
Hadn't realised that it was 18 months ago Mike…really is a scam/beat up…terrible reporting of the facts by MSM (which is actually their job).
I bet a lot of people didn't realise that.
And Stuff think they can save the 6 o'clock news?
Based on this useless example of their journalism, it is already dead.
That's the irony for me.
Two from my stable of hobby horses, the road users influence in parliament and MSM. I should have my Pom Poms out.
Instead, it's head in my hands bemoaning another 'knock-on'.
I suggest that you read that article again. You clearly didn't read it very cardfully the first time.
There were two people who are mentioned in the article. The first was the florist. That happened recently. She is Laura Newcombe.
The second was about another person, Nicola Cranfield, at another shop, Cranfields, in another part of town. That is the one that Genter claims happened about eighteen months ago.
When you have read the story a bit more carefully you will see that they are different people, at different times, but with the same rabid dog attitude by JAG.
There is an even earlier one about her involving a then WCC Councillor Simon Woolf when she also lit into him in a rather deranged manner. Some people, like Genter, simply never learn do they?
"In this case he bears some of the blame by yelling obvious lies in the first place. Maybe this will teach him to stick to yelling the truth."
A less kind person would mention victim blaming, I will leave it at the Heke defence.
"In an obvious, coordinated and probably made-up hit National drags up a witness to another episode where a passionate JAG meets an anti-cycleway (code for National/ACT voter) person who claims (unproven, no witnesses) she too was yelled at by JAG. Note: Nobody would offer to video a meeting where they were yelling at a constituent."
Maybe, maybe not. Yr conspiracies don't matter.
Genter did make a boo-boo in the house and these NAct voters and in Genter's own words show she has form for this behaviour. "I accept that sometimes when dealing with people who are very upset, I haven't been able to stay calm and I need to know when to walk away."
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/05/07/julie-anne-genter-breaks-silence-and-offers-three-more-apologies/
Anyhoo, my response to you was more about the glossing over of quite a few (let's be kind) mis-steps from senior Green MPs and what they have in common .
I am a big fan of Genter too, and rather than take the Officer Barbrady approach – "Nothing to see here folks" I want our comrades in The Greens to get their shit together.
gsays-I didn't gloss over anything. The Kerekere bullying happened well over a year ago which is not anywhere close to the period I am commenting on above in relation to Kaay's biased article.
I commented on the three relatively current events that the MSM media seems to be trying to portray as a pattern, where nothing could be further from the truth.
If we are to start going back a couple of years there are National MP misdemeanors as long as my arm.
I couldn't care less for yr whataboutism regards Nat MPs. They ain't my team.
Clearly there is a worrying aspect to these misdemeanours. Tana, from what little we know appears to be the worst of the lot.
We all hop up and down and question the Nats and their selection process in regards Uffendell but it would appear you would have us believe the Greens have nothing to worry about, it's all a MSM/NActs conspiracy!
'a reasonable commentary'..really..?
I thought it was a simplistic rehashing of the wholesale pearl clutching we have seen around this..
Devoid of any insights…
Genter spat the dummy at the facile droolings of doocey..on an issue she is both knowledgeable and passionate about ..
.and she broke parliamentary protocol..by crossing the floor to remonstrate with him..to wave her arms at him ..wave a raft of papers at him .
That's it .!…
Yes.. it's a breach of parliamentary protocol ..so the privileges committee will decide her censure…
That's it..!
..and as for the flower lady interaction…the brief interview genter gave the always/easily excited maiki Sherman revealed that she first went in there to buy flowers for a sick friend…
Not to confront the flower lady..
This is all looking like a beat up..
And to use this minor brouhaha to claim the greens are in some kind of crisis and need to 'rebuild'..is frankly farcical.
The florist obviously challenged her on the cycle-lanes…and genter engaged..and it could be said over-reacted by pulling her phone out..
That's it..!
Everyone really needs to get a bit of a grip…
..and to breathe through their noses..
This is all heading for a mountain -out-of-a-molehill-award..
That's it indeed. Basically some inappropriate behaviour, but no suggestion whatever of actual moral turpitude. A token penalty and a warning should cover it, to my mind.
I checked out Nick's Korero last night. https://nickrockel.substack.com/p/i-could-be-a-florist?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
That florist does seem to have some "form" all right. What I take from it is that she's relied in her business mostly on one-time off-the-shelf purchases by the semi-captive market offered by hospital visitors. Dealing with large or special orders don't seem to be her forte. And now that bike lanes have had the effect of reducing that casual trade, she's begun to feel the pinch.
You'd be so wrong if you think that this is the type of florist that has the tied up bouquets that you get from the supermarkets.
This florist is more the old time/type one where they might do flowers for weddings, graduations, whole venues. They are an Interflora florist catering for birthdays all around the south area. Interflora have the deliveries by van or sometimes cycle courier. Mostly van as the flowers need to be kept in tip top condition. I think I'd be right in saying that they would be the only one in Newtown, Berhampore, Island bay. I think there is one in Kilbirnie.
That part of the shopping centre has been poorly treated over the years. Now the area is a rat run, any shops are suffering. Agencies such as the Cancer Society, closer to the hospital that used to have easy access to a parking area are hemmed in by narrow-ish entrances over a bus lane. If you misjudge your turn and turn too early and have to go along the bus lanes a little way then a camera will ensure you get a ticket for $150.00.
Further down in Adelaide road at least two businesses I know of have up sticks and are moving because even though WCC say that they have mainaitned entrances for businesses these in practice are difficult to use being across a bus lane and a cycle lane with myriads of green paint, unforgiving kerbing and OTT flag things.
One of our fellow posters has indicated that people in the area are aware of how these people have been treated and much of the sympathy is going the way of the shopkeepers and not JAG.
Perhaps it is creating a smoke screen for the DP who said too much regarding Carr?
Be great if JAG filmed it all?
Not to mention that this second incident actually happened about 18 months ago but the florist conveniently forgot to tell us that.
This is so obviously a National smear job.
I heard an interview with Shane Jones on morning report/rnz ..
And I was struck by the thought that he is like a noisy barbarian at the gate…
You don't want to let him in…
And you just want him to go away…
He's gone from amusing bombastic fool, to corrupt dangerous mf. Small men and a little power is always bad
Watched this on TV news. Appalling. and makes me think of 'One strike and your'e out.'
'.you're out'…but good to hear.the a'hole was arrested 40 minutes later.
Yep, he's never won an electorate seat. Not sure he ever could.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350268124/live-te-pati-maori-mp-stands-exterminate-maori-comments
Good on Mairiameno Kapa-Kingi for standing up to the tone-deaf apologists whose comments do nothing but enable the insidiousness of what this government's trying to do to its Treaty partner to continue.
Exterminate: to kill all the animals or people in a particular place or of a particular type.
EXTERMINATE | English meaning – Cambridge Dictionary
We've almost become immune to hyperbole, but this one takes the cake.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018903262/act-leader-doubles-down-on-joke-about-blowing-pacific-ministry-up
"blow up"
phrasal verb of blow
explode.
"the car blew up as soon as it hit the wall"
What is your point? That two wrongs make a right?
Are you saying that Seymour was right to use that language?
If so, then you're a disgrace.
I thought he was saying that Seymour had taken the cake and already eaten it.
did you listen to her speech? I watched the short version in Chris' link. You may not agree with her perspective, but the word exterminate used in context was coherent and understandable. She is saying that government policy will remove Māori ability to remain Māori. She's not saying the government will genocide Māori people, she is saying that without their culture they will become white and thus cease to exist.
Which many people, myself included, agree is true. As far as I can tell, ACT are intent on removing cultural protection, NZF will play the populist, anti-tikanga card, and National will slow things down a bit but will nevertheless attempt to remove Māori power and self-determination.
Agree with this summation Weka, I also listend and she was careful but doesn't stop the 'shock, horror' people exclaiming. Also agree with the summary of what ACT etc are up to.
Yes I did listen to her speech. Not only is the use of the word unwise, it is entirely untrue both literally and in context.
There is no attempt to "remove ability to remain Māori" (your words I know), nor is there any attempt to remove Māori culture. If there was, I and many others would be joining her in the fight.
obviously TPM and Kapa-Kingi disagree with you. She explained it well enough.
TPM are playing to an audience, Weka. Nothing more, nothing less.
they're a political party
But really all you've done here is say you don't like what she said
🤷♀️
It's not that I don't like what she said. It's that is untrue. As I say, she's playing to an audience, that but you're right, that's politics.
I know you think it's untrue. And? All you've done is say 'she's wrong'/
I'm not sure what your point is. Her claims are serious enough to warrant challenging.
My point is that you haven’t challenged her claims. You’ve simply reduced a 700 word explanaiton down to one word, named it hyberbole and said she is wrong.
"My point is that you haven’t challenged her claims."
I have challenged her claims.
There is no attempt to "remove ability to remain Māori" (your words I know), nor is there any attempt to remove Māori culture. If there was, I and many others would be joining her in the fight.
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-08-05-2024/#comment-1999080
that doesn’t challenge the claims, it just says you disagree. We already covered this.
If you want to challenge the claims, then explain how and why.
"If you want to challenge the claims, then explain how and why."
You're asking me to prove a negative. There is simply not enough evidence to justify her claims, particularly as she herself has claimed the context was the removal of section 7aa.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350270453/national-and-labour-say-te-pati-maori-mp-went-too-far-saying-government-planned
I wasn’t asking you to prove a negative, I was saying you haven’t made a challenge. That would require you explaining your thinking about why she is wrong. But never mind.
How exactly will government policy "remove Māori ability to remain Māori."? I don't understand this claim.
A starting point is trying to erase or eliminate the langauge from the Public Service.
Last time I looked Maori were part of the Public.
That does not in any way "remove Māori ability to remain Māori." Even if it wanted to, the government could not remove anyone's ability to remain Maori.
And the government has not tried to "erase or eliminate the langauge from the Public Service." It has simply told government departments to communicate primarily in English, and to use English names of government departments. A reasonable directive, considering the number of Kiwis who understand English greatly exceeds the number who understand Maaori.
You appear to have missed the starting point part of my comment.
No-one is trying to erase or eliminate te reo from the public service.
But wait, there's more.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350271270/new-disability-issues-minister-louise-upston-insists-whaikaha-will-re-brand
What don't you understand? The government wants to remove the Māori specific aspects of child welfare.
Here's the Hansard record,
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20240501_051540000/kapa-kingi-mariameno
The government intends to remove section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act. That's the section that seeks to change outcomes for Māori kids in Māori terms.
https://www.orangatamariki.govt.nz/about-us/performance-and-monitoring/section-7aa/what-we-do-section-7aa/
I'm not sure what you think you're proving by quoting an activist like Kapa-Kingi? Do you actually believe the CRT line that colour-blindness is a "just another word for white supremacy"?
And what makes you think section 7AA is some kind of magic formula for Maaori advancement? Was it not section 7AA that saw Maaori kids reverse uplifted from white couples who apparently provided a stable, loving family environment? What do you mean by "in Maaori terms"? I would have thought that a stable, loving family environment was up near the top of any child's "cultural needs".
All I can say in defence of your claim that "government policy will remove Māori ability to remain Māori" is that it isn't quite as hyperbolic as Kapa-Kingi's claim.
I take it you didn't read/listen to the speech?
Yes I have listened to it weka. And as one other commentator noted, it showed "she is in questionable contact with reality".
Would you like to respond to my questions?
Did you read Karen Chhour's introduction to the bills first reading?
Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill — First Reading – New Zealand Parliament (www.parliament.nz)
+1 Chris.
Ridiculous grandstanding wedge driving shit from tpm!
You mean ridiculous, performative outrage from NACT?
Who on one hand like to shit all over the left for the perceived ills of cancel culture and "wokeness", and on the other start clutching at their pearls whenever they are criticised or get called out for being wankers.
Who's the snowflake now, David et al?
[lprent: I’ll let this through despite the handle change. But decide which one you want to use going forward. ]
See moderator note
Autofill on my phone strikes again!
Apologies
I've edited the comment above to your regular user name.
I have no love of the coc I assure you
What I took from her interview on RNZ this morning was that the word "exterminate" was used deliberately to provoke a response, because words like "deculturation" go over peoples’ heads. The APA's definition of deculturation says:
I took this as her actual point – the elimination of the Maori worldview as an influential or important force in modern contemporary social, political or economic life.
I'd agree that the Coalition is attempting to do that – particularly ACT. But actually using the word "exterminate" while knowing that 99% of people would assume it to mean physical extermination/genocide, is tactically stupid. Too much of this sort of thing will mean that parties of the liberal centre-left/right (i.e. Labour) may be backed into a corner where they have no option but to rule out TPM as a partner.
Unfortunately the response that she's achieved (except from the already convinced) is that she is in questionable contact with reality. (Extermination is a fair description of what is going on in Gaza, not that what is happening to Maori in NZ).
Her message (whatever it was) has been lost in the language she chose to use.
Unless her sole desire was to get her name in the headlines – this has been a communications fail.
However, TPM have recent history of doing exactly this. Which makes me think that this is all about playing to their party base, and that they have zero interest in ever being part of a government – and a permanent desire to be on the cross-benches, criticizing everyone.
Growing the party's vote and sitting on teh cross benches free to criticises government policy whoever is in government is not necessarily a bad thing, and might be preferable to being in a centre left Hipkins led government.
Assuming Labour doesn't need them to govern 😈
Perhaps it's my belief structure getting in the way, but it has always seemed rather pointless to go into Parliament without the desire to actually make changes. And you have to be in government to make changes.
I think it's that last sentence that's at issue. The Greens have long demonstrated how change can be achieved without being in government. If TPM spend the next 6 years establishing their policies in the public eye as well as growing their vote, that makes sense to me. The long haul.
And Labour may still need them.
I recall the great Pita Sharples saying it's better to be in the tent than out, didn't go so well for tpm when he chose the national tent
"she is in questionable contact with reality"
So deftly put.
Maybe she should have used a vivid everyday phrase, such as "consigning Maori culture to the rubbish bin", or something equally vigorous which however stops short of implying actual physical destruction of her people. "Deculturation" (I didn't even know that was a word) wouldn't have done – too unfamiliar and open to misinterpretation.
Yep – and the question is why she didn't do exactly as you say.
Are there any moderators 'on duty' at TS today? Asking for a friend
yes. Why?
I sent some messages to the contact addresses.
that goes to Lprent. Is it urgent? I can email him and ask him to check them.
he should see his personal one fairly quickly.
Yes
I see Lynn has moderated, sorry that took so long.
For future reference, the quickest way to get moderator attention is to reply to one of the mods anywhere on site. We check the Replies tab and see who is talking to us. If you don't get a response, do it again.
In this case you could reply to me (or any mod who is active on the site on the day) and put a link to the comments/thread where the issues are. You don't have to go into details, just link and say there is a serious problem and ask for a mod to take a look.
Thank you Weka. I will do. I just did not want to inspire yet another go at me.
totally understand. Even just replying to an older commenter of mine and asking me to take a look would work (no link needed, I just need to know there is something important to look at).
Absolutely agree with Bearded Git. Doocey should be sanctioned for knowingly lying(imo). They do this to try to create a response such as he got from JAG. Precisely what an Iq and Eq challenged person resorts to when they can’t actually debate like an educated and intelligent opponent. As we have seen recently from the garbled car crash that was MMitchell. By the look on Simone’s face this is a tactical method that is going to be ongoing. Just for Simone’s amusement. They are not in Government for the right reasons. Dormant Doocey is just there as a yes vote to everything COC ups want to repeal or pass into legislation. The Right Honourable he IS NOT.
Green baiting, especially the Wellington MPs, is National's goal. In their minds they are getting payback for the Greens kicking National's butt (as well as Labour's) in Wellington at the last election
All these "incidents" are not co-incidental, they are a deliberate plan by National to disgrace the Greens. Expect more "incidents" to come to light as their plan develops.
The man is a fuckwit.
.
That programme will be bulk purchased by the government and delivered to schools, which Seymour said would "significantly reduce the cost of the programme".
"Students will receive nutritious food that they want to eat. It will be made up of the sorts of food items thousands of mums and dads put into lunch boxes every day for their kids – forget quinoa, couscous, and hummus, it will be more like sandwiches and fruit," Seymour said.
When asked about food items like sushi for lunches, he said, "If you don't get that sushi's woke, then I don't know how to wake you up, but the key message here is that we are introducing the kinds of foods that are put in the lunchboxes of children, the other 75 percent of kids, who rely on their parents to send their lunch".
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/sushis-woke-seymour-cuts-107m-school-lunches
The Government has sunk to a new low with today’s announcement that they will replace high quality nutritious lunches with largely processed snack foods for Intermediate and High School students, as families continue to struggle with food insecurity.
“This announcement is a devastating lost opportunity to promote healthy eating habits that protect against chronic diseases that result in major health system costs,” Health Coaltiion Aotearoa (HCA) co-chair Professor Lisat Te Morenga said.
https://www.healthcoalition.org.nz/lunches-downgrade-robs-children-of-nutrition-well-being-immunity-and-fuel-to-learn/
I'd liken Seymour to a worm, except worms are useful. Does he fear 'woke' food will turn kids (future voters) 'woke'? What a turd – nope, also more useful than Seymour.
Woke up Kiwis – they're here!
I imagine Seymour's problem is with the price of middle-class foods like hummus and quinoa.
Hummus is a staple food made from cheap as chips chick peas. My wife who’s been teaching in a wide decile range of primary schools for over forty years says she’s seen plenty of hummus in school lunches but has never seen quinoa or couscous. Are you sure you and your dorky mate mate have your facts right?
I'm guessing quinoa features in some of the meals for kids with food allergies eg those that need gluten-free.
Or Seymour is making shit up. The whole things has the same vibe as Penny Simmonds going on about disabled carers getting massages. Afaik she never produced any evidence of this nor meaningful explanation. It was superficial bullshit designed to make it harder to get at the truth of what they were doing.
Well, here we are with a major movement developing in the student aged population in the US (and increasingly the world) against the slaughter in Gaza.
The Biden admin thought that a few swift kicks at the encampments by riot police or rabid supporters of Israel would cause them to hastily pack up camp and go home to Mummy and Daddy.
Instead we are looking at the development of a movement that may equal that of the Vietnam protests. Gazans are already making signs thanking the students of the world for their compassion and humanity.
And just to give everyone the morale boost they needed, along comes Macklemore with a smart and defiant mainstream rap that really says what youth says best to authority with all proceeds going to UNRWA
There arent a lot of bright spots for Gaza now with the Rafah invasion seemingly in motion but this is definitely one.
Edit: I thought the embed code was enough to get the song onto the page but apparently not so you’ll need to click through.
https://twitter.com/macklemore/status/1787616471738368099
The BHN episode linked here adds important context to some of the comments on Māori politics today. The status quo of New Zealand is still detrimental to Tangata Whenua.
We have made some good progress in the last few years, supporting Māori culture and Te Reo and wellbeing. But to deny that the current government is trying to erase all those gains is simple ignorance.