While Peters deals with war in the Middle East, our Transport Minister (armed with data) aims to rid us of those potholes
There were just two press releases on the Government’s official website when Point of Order checked on what our ministers have been doing earlier today. Women’s Affairs Minister Nicola Grigg was telling us she knew what day this is (Suffrage Day) and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was announcing his intention to fly to New York next week to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, then visit French Polynesia.
The Beehive Bugle Brigade has been busy since then, trumpeting on an array of issues, from New Zealand’s vote on a United Nations resolution on Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian Territory to the standards that must be met by Charter Schools.
We voted “yes” (with some caveats) on the UN resolution, which achieved majority support at the UN General Assembly this morning and affirmed the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian Territory.
“The Israel-Palestine conflict has gone on for far too long and the suffering it has caused on both sides is immense,” Peters said.
“We have consistently said that a two-state solution is the only durable and just solution for Israelis and Palestinians.”
But New Zealand held concerns about aspects of the text of resolution, Peters says.
“For example, the resolution’s 12-month timeframe for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian Territory is frankly unrealistic. We are also disappointed that the resolution goes beyond what was envisaged in the advisory opinion in some respects.”
New Zealand’s full Explanation of Vote to the UN General Assembly this morning can be found here.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour brought us up to speed on Charter Schools, saying they will face a combination of minimum performance thresholds and stretch targets for achievement, attendance and financial sustainability.
“Charter schools will be given greater freedom to respond to diverse student needs in innovative ways, but they will be held to a much higher standard than state schools. This will raise educational achievement, especially for students disengaged from school,” says Mr Seymour.
“The minimum performance thresholds will be adjusted for the socio-economic barriers faced by students, measured by the Equity Index (EQI). They will be determined based on the principle that charter schools will need to perform in the top half of all schools within their specific EQI group.”
All schools will be aiming to meet and surpass the standardised target of 80% of primary students above the expected curriculum and 95% of school leavers reaching NCEA level 2 or above. Unlike state schools, however, charter schools will be set minimum requirements for achievement before facing interventions, including “possibly” having their contract terminated.
But the biggest cheer for good news is likely to go to Transport Minister Simeon Brown, who announced his programme for Preventing potholes with data-driven technology
Yep. The Government is rolling out data collection vans across the country “to better understand the condition of our road network to prevent potholes from forming in the first place,” Brown says.
The vans will provide consistent, high quality surface condition data at a scale never seen in New Zealand before, replacing the inefficient and manual on-the-ground inspections currently happening in many locations across the country.
Other Beehive news dealt with matters including:
We voted “yes” (with some caveats) on the UN resolution, which achieved majority support at the UN General Assembly this morning and affirmed the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian Territory.
“The Israel-Palestine conflict has gone on for far too long and the suffering it has caused on both sides is immense,” Peters said.
“We have consistently said that a two-state solution is the only durable and just solution for Israelis and Palestinians.”
But New Zealand held concerns about aspects of the text of resolution, Peters says.
“For example, the resolution’s 12-month timeframe for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian Territory is frankly unrealistic. We are also disappointed that the resolution goes beyond what was envisaged in the advisory opinion in some respects.”
New Zealand’s full Explanation of Vote to the UN General Assembly this morning can be found here.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour brought us up to speed on Charter Schools, saying they will face a combination of minimum performance thresholds and stretch targets for achievement, attendance and financial sustainability.
“Charter schools will be given greater freedom to respond to diverse student needs in innovative ways, but they will be held to a much higher standard than state schools. This will raise educational achievement, especially for students disengaged from school,” says Mr Seymour.
“The minimum performance thresholds will be adjusted for the socio-economic barriers faced by students, measured by the Equity Index (EQI). They will be determined based on the principle that charter schools will need to perform in the top half of all schools within their specific EQI group.”
All schools will be aiming to meet and surpass the standardised target of 80% of primary students above the expected curriculum and 95% of school leavers reaching NCEA level 2 or above. Unlike state schools, however, charter schools will be set minimum requirements for achievement before facing interventions, including “possibly” having their contract terminated.
But the biggest cheer for good news is likely to go to Transport Minister Simeon Brown, who announced his programme for Preventing potholes with data-driven technology
Yep. The Government is rolling out data collection vans across the country “to better understand the condition of our road network to prevent potholes from forming in the first place,” Brown says.
The vans will provide consistent, high quality surface condition data at a scale never seen in New Zealand before, replacing the inefficient and manual on-the-ground inspections currently happening in many locations across the country.
Other Beehive news dealt with matters including:
- Biosecurity
Proposals to strengthen the country’s vital biosecurity system, including higher fines for passengers bringing in undeclared high-risk goods, greater flexibility around importing requirements, and fairer cost sharing for biosecurity responses have been released for public consultation.
- Health services
An Overnight Acute Care Service will provide the people of Wānaka and the surrounding area with a nurse-led service, open overnight, seven days a week, from Monday 14 October. The service will be provided by Central Otago Health Services Limited in collaboration with local GPs, St John and Ka Ora, funded by Health New Zealand.
The nurse-led service will be open overnight, seven days a week, from Monday 14 October. Patients will call their normal healthcare provider and will be triaged over the phone before being referred to the in-person service.
- Economic growth
The economy grew just 0.1% in the March quarter compared to initial estimates of 0.2%.
But Finance Minister Nicola Willis put a different emphasis on the data, saying they show the effect of high interest rates.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for the quarter to June 2024 reinforces how an extended period of high interest rates has meant tough times for families, businesses, and communities, but recent indications show the economy is starting to bounce back.
- Trade
- Jury trials
The first proposal would increase the offence threshold at which a defendant can decide to have a case heard by a jury. The second would allow more time for when a defendant must decide whether they want their trial to be conducted before a jury, or before a judge sitting alone.
The discussion document seeking feedback on the proposals is on the Ministry of Justice website.The consultation period closes on 11 October 2024.
- Regional development
Two summits have taken place; a further 13 will be held over the next seven months. An updated schedule includes a new date for the Waikato summit which was postponed following the passing of Kiingi Tuheitia.
Regional Growth Summits in Canterbury, Wairarapa, Kāpiti and Chatham Islands are still being finalised with dates in early 2025 to be confirmed.
More information about the RIF, including details about eligibility criteria and the application process can also be found on the Grow Regions website.
- Child health and wellbeing
GUiNZ, the country’s largest longitudinal study of child health and wellbeing, has followed the lives of more than 6000 children born in 2009 and 2010, and their families. The study is led by the University of Auckland.
More information on the Growing Up in New Zealand study can be found here
Latest from the Beehive
19 September 2024
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the rates for the redesigned levy that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) from July 2026.
The Coalition Government welcomes Police’s announcement today to deploy more police on the beat and staff to Gang Disruption Units.
Proposals to strengthen the country’s vital biosecurity system, including higher fines for passengers bringing in undeclared high-risk goods, greater flexibility around importing requirements, and fairer cost sharing for biosecurity responses have been released today for public consultation.
A new overnight health service will provide people in Wānaka and the surrounding area with the assurance of quality overnight care closer to home.
The Government is rolling out data collection vans across the country to better understand the condition of our road network to prevent potholes from forming in the first place.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for the quarter to June 2024 reinforces how an extended period of high interest rates has meant tough times for families, businesses, and communities, but recent indications show the economy is starting to bounce back.
Trade Minister Todd McClay will host Fijian Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica and Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell for trilateral trade talks in Rotorua this weekend.
Trade Minister Todd McClay will meet with Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting in Rotorua this weekend.
The Government is seeking the public’s feedback on two major changes to jury trials in order to improve court timeliness, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
Local businesses and industries need to be front and centre in conversations about how regions plan to grow their economies, Regional Development Shane Jones says.
The Government is investing $16.8 million over the next four years to extend the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) Longitudinal Study.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that Charter Schools will face a combination of minimum performance thresholds and stretch targets for achievement, attendance and financial sustainability.
New Zealand has voted for a United Nations resolution on Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian Territory with some caveats, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.
Suffrage Day is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment to ensuring we continue to be a world leader in gender equality, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says.
18 September 2024
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is travelling to New York next week to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, followed by a visit to French Polynesia.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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