1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: Right. It's this time of the year where it's traditional 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: for the political commentators to pick the person that they 3 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: think has done the best out of politics. And interestingly, 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: I saw the weekend This past weekend, the Herald went 5 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,720 Speaker 1: for Simeon Brown. Now I agree, Simeon Brown's right up there. 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: I mean, there is a reason he's called golden balls, 7 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: apparently by his caucus colleagues. But I don't think Simon 8 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: is the one. I think the honor has to go 9 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: to Erica Stanford this year, and as far as I'm concerned, 10 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: it's not even a competition. It's Erica all the way. 11 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: No disrespect to Simeon, because Simeon is fixing up a 12 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: bunch of stuff that really really desperately needs fixing up, 13 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: like speed limits and the potholes and Wellington City Council 14 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,319 Speaker 1: and the speed bumps and Transpower not wanting to tell 15 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: us at the poll, the pilot, the nuts out of 16 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 1: the pilot and et cetera, et cetera. And he's done 17 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: it without causing days of drama, do you know what 18 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: I mean? He's pretty decisive, really makes mistakes, He just 19 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 1: he tiedies it up and you get the impression He's 20 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: absolutely not taking any bs from the public officials behind 21 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: the scenes. But this is pretty regular running a government 22 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: type stuff, right. Erica Stanford, though, has done something really 23 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: special this year, which is that she's banned the phones 24 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: in schools. Now, I don't blame you if you think, well, 25 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: that's not even a thing. Sounds a bit silly, right, 26 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: It's going to sound silly to some people as a 27 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: reason for picking her as the Politician of the Year, 28 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: but that will only be if you do not understand 29 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: how distracting and addictive these phones are in school time, 30 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: and how much they were hurting kids' grades, how much 31 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: they were hurting kids' social skills, and how much they 32 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: were hurting kids ability to just be kids at school 33 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: like we were. Do you remember the thing is do 34 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: you remember before she did it, we ridiculed her for it, right, 35 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: and we said it's not going to work. Now, go 36 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: and find me a teacher who doesn't think it's a 37 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: wild success. This is so important what she's done that 38 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,839 Speaker 1: international experts who study the impact of phones on kids 39 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: say this is about one of four things that have 40 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: to be done by countries to help kids out. And 41 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: she's done it. She didn't have to be begged, don't 42 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: have to be cajoled, and to do it, and she 43 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: just did it. Watch the impact this is going to 44 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: have on a generation of kids. As far as I'm concerned, 45 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: no politician has made a call this significant for a 46 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: group of people who are this important all year. Kids 47 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: are the most important. So do mind any of the 48 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: other stuff that she's done, like the state abuse inquiry, 49 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: and she's done pretty well there. Phone ban alone makes 50 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: her I reckon the MVP of twenty twenty four. For 51 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: more from The Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news 52 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 1: Talks at B from six am weekdays, or follow the 53 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.