1 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: Yoda. 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and This is the Front Page, a 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 2: daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. On July 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 2: fet a series of changes are due to be implemented 5 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 2: by the government, and some of them will have a 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 2: direct impact on your day to day. Notably, all rental 7 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 2: properties in New Zealand must comply it with the Healthy 8 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 2: Home Standards six years after that became law under the 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 2: Labor Government. 10 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: One labor law. 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: Change hasn't survived, though that government's blanket speed limit reductions 12 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 2: must all be reversed by Tuesday. Paid parental leave rates 13 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 2: will also go up, while job Seeker support clients must 14 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: now reapply for their benefit every twenty six weeks rather 15 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: than fifty two, and the invest New Zealand agency designed 16 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 2: to attract foreign investment is due to be set up 17 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: by July first as well. It'll also be easier for 18 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: kiwis to access contraceptives like IUDs, nutrition replacements will be 19 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: fully funded for adults with Crohn's disease, and increase in 20 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: some customs fees and goods levies crossing our border, and 21 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 2: a new legal requirement to keep records of the movement 22 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 2: of raw milk on and off farms. Later we'll dig 23 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 2: into those more political changes and what they mean for 24 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 2: you with Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howe. But first 25 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 2: on the front page ends at Herald property editor and 26 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 2: Gibson is with us to explain what healthy home standards 27 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 2: actually look like and can you took us through the 28 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: five standards that must be in place by July. 29 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 3: First is this is heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture, ingress and 30 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 3: drainage and draft stopping. So the idea here is to 31 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 3: make rental homes fit for purpose. So then moldy, they're 32 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 3: not damp, they're not freezing in the winter, they're not 33 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 3: boiling in the summer. 34 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 2: What punishments await those landlords who haven't perhaps set up 35 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 2: these standards in time. 36 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 3: There's a seven thousand, two hundred dollar fine for breaches 37 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 3: of the healthy home standards in the Residential Tendencies Act. Now, 38 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 3: I have had a look at some tendency tribunal cases, 39 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 3: and the tribunal can award exemplary damages to a tenant 40 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 3: if they prove that the landlord had breached the healthy 41 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 3: home standard. 42 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 2: And how do you go about proving that? 43 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 3: You have to make an application to the tribunal. I 44 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 3: would think that initially the right thing to do, and 45 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 3: I think this is prescribed to is you go to 46 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 3: your landlord and you say, look, I need to be 47 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 3: able to extract air when I'm cooking in the kitchen. 48 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 3: We have showers, and we need to be able to 49 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 3: get the steam out of the bathroom so the walls 50 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 3: don't go black. There's a big gap under a door 51 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 3: and the wooden blows in at night. You know, and 52 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 3: talk to the landlord. Obviously, if the house is non compliant, 53 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 3: I think the tenant should read the standards the published 54 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 3: in great detail on Tendency Services website, and then I 55 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 3: think if there is no resolution, make an application to 56 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 3: the tribunal as a tenant and then go through all 57 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 3: the aspects you'd have to list there how the house 58 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 3: doesn't comply and how it doesn't meet the healthy home standards. 59 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 2: What sort of homes or properties are exempt from this? 60 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 3: There are exemptions, and these are cases where you couldn't 61 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 3: make adjustments to make the property meet the standards. So, 62 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 3: for example, if you're an apartment building and your kitchen 63 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 3: is in the middle of a block and you couldn't 64 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 3: ventilate from the kitchen, you might be exempt. So there 65 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 3: are not that many exemptions. But let's have a look. 66 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 3: So if you intend to demolish or substantially rebuild the 67 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 3: property as a landlord, you don't have to comply. If 68 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 3: you've already applied for a resource consent you don't have 69 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 3: to comply. Or if it's part of a building that 70 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 3: tenant doesn't own, exemptions might apply. 71 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 2: You spoke with one multi millionaire landlord, Peter Lewis, the 72 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 2: other week, and he didn't seem very impressed by those exemptions. 73 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,839 Speaker 3: Right well, Peter Lewis is an interesting person. He's been 74 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 3: involved with the Auckland Property Investors and New Zealand Property 75 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 3: Investors Federation for many years. He owns twelve rental properties. 76 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 3: These are in South Auckland and in pokikok And he 77 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 3: questions the standards now, he says, why don't the two 78 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 3: million homes in New Zealand that you know, we have 79 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 3: two million homes in New Zealand and most of those 80 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 3: are owner occupied, why don't they need to comply? And 81 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 3: he says he makes the study of going around New 82 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 3: Zealand and looking at motels and he said they certainly 83 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 3: don't comply. And then he questions what's going on with 84 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 3: the approximately sixty three thousand people who live in retirement 85 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 3: villages in New Zealand and says, why don't retirement village 86 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 3: owners have to comply when in many cases residents are 87 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 3: paying a million dollars in water buying to those properties. 88 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 3: So he's got some good points, But I think overall, 89 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 3: what the government was looking at here when this was 90 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 3: when this came into law, was how could how could 91 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 3: the lives of tenants be improved? And we know from 92 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 3: many studies done that tenants suffer from health issues and 93 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 3: a lot of those cases are to do with the 94 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 3: type of properties that they're living in, so asthma, respiratory diseases, 95 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 3: rheumatic fever, all those aspects. And so what the government 96 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 3: was trying to do here was make rental properties fit 97 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:32,239 Speaker 3: for purpose and healthy. 98 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 4: We have at the moment a current situation this his 99 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 4: LANDLDS have to in twere nineteen seventy eight standard. Now, 100 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 4: mister speaker, I remember growing up in the nineteen seventies. 101 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 4: I remember seeing my breath in my bedroom. I remember 102 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 4: ice on the inside of my windows. I remember a 103 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 4: cold house and mister speaker, I think we can do better. 104 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 2: So when the standards were first announced under the last 105 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 2: Labor government, I remember how much of it ka faf 106 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 2: for the idea seem to cause. Have landlords for the 107 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 2: most part just gotten on with it. 108 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,919 Speaker 3: And well, that is a very good question, and we 109 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 3: will only know when July one comes and if there 110 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 3: is a number of cases that go to the tribunal. Now, 111 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 3: I can't honestly believe myself personally that the homes that 112 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 3: approximately twenty thousand Otago University students live in actually meet 113 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 3: the standard, because I do spend a little bit of 114 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 3: time and to need and every year, and I look 115 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 3: at the homes there. 116 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 2: And I've seen those videos. 117 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 3: I wonder, and you know, our own Rachel Mail, one 118 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 3: of our journalists here, wrote about the hell that she 119 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 3: endured renting homes, and I wonder about all those houses 120 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 3: in the Utow Valley in Wellington. I've lived in Mortimer 121 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 3: Terras in Wellington and it was very cold and damp, 122 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 3: and the properties that I lived in as a student 123 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 3: were certainly would not comply with these standards. So it's 124 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 3: a really good question. How many homes have been upgraded, 125 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 3: how many meet the standard, but even more how many 126 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 3: don't meet the standard? 127 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: And you mentioned something about a two dollar coin. 128 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 3: Yes, so if you get the edge of a two 129 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 3: dollar coin, you can shove it into the gap between 130 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 3: the window and the architrave, or the architrave and the 131 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 3: door underneath or beside or whatever. That gap has to 132 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 3: be sealed, so. 133 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: That doesn't meet the standards. If that tiny. 134 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 3: Doesn't meet the standard, the edge of a two dollar coin, 135 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 3: and I mean I can stand in my kitchen and 136 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 3: work out which direction the breeze is coming from. You know, 137 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 3: a nineteen twenty six bungalow and devonport which I've owned 138 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 3: for the last thirty years or so with my husband. 139 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 3: I know it doesn't meet the healthy home standard, but 140 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 3: we live there. We're not planning to rent it out. 141 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 3: We seem to be relatively healthy. But I do acknowledge 142 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 3: that there are many aspects of it that don't comply. 143 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 3: And it's not just those sort of gaps. It's also 144 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 3: trying to sell up the ceiling and the floor. So 145 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 3: to get insulation into those places and to get fixed 146 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 3: forms of hating is so important. You know, advice that 147 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 3: can bring the living area up to a certain temperature 148 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 3: and keep it. It's a pretty basic thing to ask for, right, 149 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 3: Thanks for joining us in welcome. 150 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,679 Speaker 2: Now we turn to the political changes coming into effect 151 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: with News Talk z be's Azaria Howe. So we've been 152 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 2: hearing a lot about foreign investments since the start of 153 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 2: the year. What role does invest in z have to 154 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 2: play in that goal? 155 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 5: Yeah, So Invest New Zealand, which is this new government department, 156 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 5: opens its doors on the first of the month, so 157 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 5: it's also the start of the new financial year. 158 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: Now. 159 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 5: Just recently, actually legislation passed to formally establish that agency, 160 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 5: Invest New Zealand, which is kind of trying to lure 161 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 5: in international talent and bring some cash in to boost 162 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 5: our economy, just a piece of what the government essentially 163 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 5: calls its going for growth puzzle. Invest New Zealand has 164 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 5: four main sort of goals, the first one being to 165 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 5: drive investment into what they're calling high growth industries, the 166 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:17,559 Speaker 5: second being to connect investors with local businesses and research, 167 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 5: the third being to support companies to grow their research 168 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 5: and development in New Zealand, and the last but not 169 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 5: least goal of New Zealand helping to build those skills 170 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 5: for what they call a more innovative economy, so there's 171 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 5: quite a big focus in terms of tapping into those markets. 172 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 5: Trade and Investment Minister Todd McLay seems to be pretty 173 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 5: confident about what that new agency can do. 174 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 1: He is quoted as saying invest. 175 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 5: New Zealand will act as a bridge between global capital 176 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 5: and New Zealand's economic potential. He's also said it's about 177 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 5: making it easier to do business here, cutting red tapes, 178 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 5: speeding up that decision making and targeting investment that delivers 179 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 5: long term benefits for the country. So essentially trying to 180 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 5: hap into those markets a big piece of this, as 181 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 5: well as that Golden Visa. It's worth noting there's been 182 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 5: quite strong interest in that Golden visa. 183 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: We call it a Golden visa. 184 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 5: The actual name of it is the Active Investor Plus Visa, 185 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 5: but I feel like golden visa is it's got a 186 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 5: better ring to it. I suppose an Active Investor plus. 187 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 5: But yes, within recent days the government confirmed more than 188 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 5: one billion dollars. I'll say that again. One of the 189 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 5: one billion dollars has been confirmed to be committed to 190 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 5: New Zealand as part of that investment scheme, and a 191 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 5: big chunk of it, more than eight hundred million dollars 192 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 5: of that is from when the government changed those settings 193 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 5: and hopes to sort of get more people and get 194 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 5: more capital into New Zealand. Nikola Willis said it proved 195 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 5: New Zealand's growth potential, essentially also giving a bit of 196 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 5: a marker on how she would like to see the 197 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 5: scheme progress. She was pointing to treasuries expectation of creating 198 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 5: two hundred and forty thousand new jobs over four years 199 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 5: and also said if you'd like to exceed that. So 200 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 5: that's one will keep an eye on if that sort 201 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 5: of investment scheme does bring in potentially more than two 202 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 5: hundred thousand new jobs into the country. 203 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 2: And also from July first, an increase to paid parental 204 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 2: leave that's coming through up from seven hundred and fifty 205 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 2: four dollars and eighty seven cents to seven hundred and 206 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 2: eighty eight dollars and sixty six cents per week. Is 207 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 2: this a standard adjustment the same way benefits tick up 208 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 2: every year or is this government policy? 209 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, so this is quite a big part of the 210 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 5: new financial year, and obviously we've celebrated the new year 211 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 5: on January first, we've celebrated Matadiki and now it's time 212 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 5: for another new year, that one being about the cash. 213 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 5: Now Minister for Workplace Relations Brock van Dolden made that announcement. 214 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 5: It's worth noting though it is part of this annual 215 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 5: adjustment which aligns those sort of payments in terms of 216 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 5: average earnings. So if the cash is going up, so 217 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 5: as the payment people who are eligible can access these 218 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 5: payments for up to twenty six weeks. And I thought 219 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,839 Speaker 5: it was quite interesting to see Brook van Velden saying 220 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 5: it also applies to people who've experienced a miscarriage or 221 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 5: a still birth, and it also applies to people who 222 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,839 Speaker 5: act as surrogates, So maybe for people who can't have 223 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 5: their own children for medical or personal reasons, surrogates can 224 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 5: also take time out of work to recover and sort 225 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 5: of benefit. 226 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: From that scheme. 227 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 5: When announcing those changes, the Minister was quite hot on 228 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 5: the economy. That was as we've previously said, it seems 229 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:34,439 Speaker 5: like quite a big focus, Brook van Velden said, and 230 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 5: I quote, I acknowledge it continues to be tough for 231 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 5: families right now, paiper and to leave is one way 232 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 5: the government can help ease that pressure on the cost 233 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 5: of living for families when they're away from work caring 234 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 5: for children. So that is quite a significant announcement in 235 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 5: something that comes in on the first of July. As 236 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 5: we've said, it's also been a bit of a political topic, 237 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 5: as most things are in campaign mode. The last election, 238 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 5: Labor made a policy about this exact one, saying it 239 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 5: would introduce four weeks of paid partners leave that could 240 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 5: be taken with or after primary carers leave. The Greens 241 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 5: also have been calling on wider eligibility criteria in terms 242 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 5: of this policy, and it builds on previous policies from 243 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 5: this government in terms of families and finance and things 244 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 5: like that. 245 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 2: Speaking of benefits, what's happening with regards to changes to 246 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 2: reapplying for the job seeker benefit. 247 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 5: Yeah, so people on that job seeker benefit will have 248 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 5: to reapply for their benefit every twenty six weeks. Now 249 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 5: it's currently fifty two weeks. And if that sounds familiar 250 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 5: to you, it's because fifty two weeks is exactly one year. 251 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 5: So Work and Income is essentially looking after the role 252 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 5: out of this scheme. It says it'll check in more 253 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 5: regularly to make sure people are getting the right support 254 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 5: or finding and preparing for work when they're on that 255 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 5: job seeker benefit, so seeking for a job. It also 256 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 5: is promising that it will it will let people know 257 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,839 Speaker 5: when they need to reapply for that benefit. So it's 258 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 5: expected people will get a notification about twenty five working 259 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 5: days before they need to reapply for their job seeker 260 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,839 Speaker 5: But it is coming in a lot more regularly. That's 261 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 5: because they want people to keep in touch with MSD 262 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 5: in terms of what they're actually doing, how they're going 263 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 5: to find a job, and maybe if they need more 264 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 5: support or more help in terms of them chasing employment. 265 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 5: There's also been a lot of changes in terms of beneficiaries, 266 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 5: and I'm sure a lot of people would be aware 267 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 5: of the benefit traffic light system, which has been quite 268 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 5: controversial for some We talked about the big day, the 269 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 5: budget day, budget twenty twenty five that kind of drew 270 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 5: a line in the sand. One of the big headlines 271 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 5: of that budget looked sort of a couple of years 272 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 5: in the future, and this is not something that's coming 273 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 5: on the first of July twenty twenty five. This is 274 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 5: proposed for the first of July twenty twenty seven. From them, 275 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 5: they are essentially looking to means test study jobs for 276 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 5: people who are eighteen and nineteen years old, saying that 277 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 5: they're going to put in place what is called a 278 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 5: parental assistance test in the ENTRGUE criteria as well for 279 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 5: the accommodation supplement also changing. So that is going to 280 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 5: be an interesting debate as kind of the years go 281 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 5: by as well in terms of the benefit. 282 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: That is long to go before that takes place. 283 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 5: But yes, from the first of July, people will have 284 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 5: to reapply for that benefit every twenty six weeks. 285 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 6: But economic growth also requires people to get from a 286 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 6: to b as quickly and as efficiently as possible, and 287 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 6: we certainly need to speed up produce getting to shops, 288 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 6: We need to speed up export goods getting to ports, 289 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 6: parcels getting delivered, and of course workers having shorter commuting 290 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 6: times so they can get home to their families and 291 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 6: spend more time at home with their families. I got 292 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 6: to tell you, the previous government was great at saying 293 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 6: no and slowing everything down across this country and across 294 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 6: our economy. We are a government of action, and as 295 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 6: I keep saying, we're a government of common sense, we're 296 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 6: saying a lot less know and a lot more yes, 297 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 6: and that's what this is actually about. So we're really 298 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 6: pleased that we are literally literally accelerating New Zealand's economic growth. 299 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 2: And the other big one is the reversal of Labour's 300 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 2: speed limit reductions. Those are all going to be gone 301 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 2: by July first. Why is the government so keen on 302 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 2: getting rid of those changes kind of arbitrarily? 303 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, So this announcement was it's kind of been signaled 304 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 5: for a decent amount of time, essentially in. 305 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: A bid to speed up drivers. 306 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 5: It was made in the wided upper and it was 307 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 5: estimated that State Highway that being State Highway two between 308 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 5: Featherstone and Marsterton, would speed up drivers by three minutes. 309 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 5: Now that doesn't seem like a decent amount, but the 310 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 5: government is saying this is for around ten thousand vehicles 311 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 5: a day, mostly rate and things like that, and it 312 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 5: is something that could speed up the economy. The government 313 00:16:56,040 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 5: essentially had been against those speed limituctions from. 314 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: The Labor Party. 315 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,120 Speaker 5: They're saying they were blanket speed limit reduction some places 316 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 5: going down by ten twenty thirty kilometers an hour, and 317 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,880 Speaker 5: it seems like some motorists are not happy. 318 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: The other piece of the coin. 319 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 5: I suppose some road safety advocates also not happy about 320 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 5: the speed limits going back up, but Transport Minister Chris 321 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:26,880 Speaker 5: Bishop is promising that safety has been taken into account. Essentially, 322 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 5: Chris Bishop, when he's asked about the safety issues and 323 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 5: those factors, he says the number one factor for road 324 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 5: deaths is not speed, it's actually drugs and alcohol, which 325 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 5: he is trying to make a big focus of the 326 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 5: government's road safety plan. They're focusing on the rollout of 327 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 5: these roadside drug tests in terms of hoping to bring 328 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 5: those road deaths down, and they're essentially saying in terms 329 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 5: of a lot of these roads they were actually at 330 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 5: a higher speed limit, they were brought down and now 331 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 5: they're being. 332 00:17:58,240 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: Brought back up to what they were. 333 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 5: It's also worth noting some of those blanket speed reductions 334 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 5: were because they were in school zones and places like that. 335 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 5: So it will definitely be an interesting one to see 336 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 5: the impacts that that is going to have. But yes, 337 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 5: it's been a bit of a political hot topic, as 338 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 5: you'd expect, to be honest, in terms of speeding people 339 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 5: up or slowing them down. It's always going to be controversial. 340 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 5: With probably a half of drivers and the other half 341 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 5: will feel the other. 342 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 1: Way in Azaria. 343 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 2: Do you think these changes are working with voters. I mean, 344 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 2: the investment factor is particularly interesting. We've been hearing about 345 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 2: that a lot. But is it getting to cut through 346 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 2: with the general public. 347 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, so, I mean I suppose it's quite hard to 348 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 5: say if it is resonating or not. I mean, there's 349 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 5: been a few polls which have showed some different results, 350 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 5: so it's not really one hundred percent clear if that 351 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 5: is resonating. I think another thing is that people might 352 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 5: have to sort of slow down in terms of the 353 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 5: impacts of invest New Zealand. The ministers have sort of 354 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 5: signaled that we're getting this money into the economy. We're 355 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 5: trying to get these visas in, but it's something that 356 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 5: might take some time. So sort of trying to get 357 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 5: the cash into the economy, getting those jobs, sorting out startups, 358 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 5: making those startups grow, bringing those startups into sort of European, 359 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 5: American Asian markets, it could be quite a big task. 360 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 5: Cost of living being quite a significant portion in terms 361 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 5: of what the government is trying to tackle investment. 362 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: Going for growth. 363 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 5: The government has released this big Going for Growth plan 364 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 5: and the investment is a big part of it. It'll 365 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 5: also be interesting once we do find out the big 366 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:43,680 Speaker 5: names of the people who may have gotten these golden visas. 367 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 5: That may change things and we'll see from there. But 368 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 5: in terms of politics, there is still quite a way 369 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 5: to go in terms of the next election and then 370 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 5: the election after that. Obviously there's local elections relatively soon, 371 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 5: but that is is going to have less of an 372 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 5: economic focus. 373 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, Azariah, Thanks so much. It's been great. 374 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 2: That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You 375 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 2: can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage 376 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 2: at enzedherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is 377 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 2: produced by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, who is also 378 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 2: our sound engineer. 379 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 1: I'm Chelsea Daniels. 380 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 2: Subscribe to The Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you 381 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 2: get your podcasts, and tune in on Monday for another 382 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 2: look behind the headlines.