In this episode – an error by the Ministry of Education in a Math booklet; the latest Roy Morgan polls; proposed changes in the NCEA educational framework; are the media deliberately campaigning against Christopher Luxon?; Aotearoa v New Zealand – what’s in a name; the government’s plan to modernise road user charges; a leaked cabinet paper suggesting restrictions on alcohol stores and the potential influence of alcohol lobbying; and the establishment of the Integrity Institute, its targeted research on certain organisations, and concerns about its genuine aims.
Show summary auto-generated by Descript app:
- **Ministry of Education Math Booklet Error**: They discuss an error in a Ministry of Education math booklet which mislabeled a rectangle as a triangle. Simon humorously ties it to identity politics, questioning education standards.
- **Roy Morgan Polls Analysis**: The hosts delve into the latest Roy Morgan polls, examining party standings and voter demographics. They note fluctuations in support for National, Act, New Zealand First, Labour, Greens, and Maori Party, and assess why these changes may not be widely reported by mainstream media.
- **NCEA Educational Framework Changes**: Bob and Simon evaluate the government’s proposal to replace NCEA with a new national qualification, reflecting on the pros and cons of both the current and former systems. They also discuss public support for these changes based on polling data.
- **Media after Luxon**: Is the media deliberately writing articles to undermine the leadership of Christopher Luxon?
- **New Zealand v Aotearoa**: Polling suggests that there is strong support for New Zealand to be the name of the country. There is discussion as to why the bilingual version isn’t winning support.
- **Modernising Road User Charges**: The discussion shifts to the government’s plan to transition to an electronic road user charges system. Simon raises concerns about privacy and the potential for the government to manipulate travel behaviours using the collected data.
- **Leaked Cabinet Paper on Alcohol Store Restrictions**: They address a leak suggesting changes to the operating hours of alcohol stores, which face opposition from the alcohol lobby. Bob and Simon discuss the impact of this lobbying and the ethical concerns around the leak itself.
- **Integrity Institute & Lobbying Transparency**: The hosts critically analyse the establishment of the Integrity Institute and its public commitment to investigating organisations like the New Zealand Taxpayers Union and the Maxim Institute. They express concerns about the institute’s true intentions and the potential bias in its activities.
- **Parliamentary Question Time Fairness**: The decision by the parliamentary speaker to review the balance of questions during question time is discussed. Simon opines that while the change aims to make questioning fairer, it could lead to longer, less focused responses from ministers.
