Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

The story of Moana. On the face of it, it’s a no-brainer. A traumatised and neglected little girl is placed with a family who love and care for her in a safe and healthy environment, and what do you know? She blossoms. They love her and they adopt her to make her officially part of the family. Everyone is happy. Except the little girl is Māori , the family is Pākehā and Oranga Tamariki decided that the child should be removed from the Pākehā family and be placed with a Māori  woman because they did not think the Pākehā family could provide for the child’s cultural needs.  So it went to court. A family court judge ruled that the little girl would remain in the care of her Pākehā parents. The judge slammed Oranga Tamariki for putting ideology before the child's best interests.  The birth mother of the little girl appealed the decision. She was supported by Oranga Tamariki and by the Māori  woman who wished to care for the little one. So the case went to the High Court. And now the High Court has ruled in favour of the Pākehā family. Justice Cull emphasised that the overarching and paramount consideration of the Act was child wellbeing and best interests. Justice Cull said, preference should be given to placements of children within their family group where they're able to meet the child needs for a safe, stable and loving home from the earliest opportunity.  However, if that wasn't possible, then they go where they are safe.   I can totally understand people wanting to keep a child within the same background.  I mean when you look at intercountry adoption, that's what's happened as well. You have countries who say ‘don't come to our orphanages and take our children away’. Support the orphanages so that the children can grow up in a safe, loving environment where they're within their own culture and surrounded by their own people.   Understanding where you come from is a basic human need. Understanding who you are, what your family tree looks like on a genetic level, is a basic human need, but so too is being safe.  So too is being fed, so too is being loved, so too is being protected. So when you have these competing needs, how do you balance them? I think the judges have decided.   When you have a little girl who was severely traumatised and neglected, who after four years is blossoming and thriving, it really doesn't matter a fat rat’s bum what the colour of the family’s skin is.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Reserve Bank Governors, like good Victorian children, should be seen and not heard. In other words, they should not be drawing attention to themselves. They should quietly get about their business, not alarm the horses and not draw undue attention to themselves. Ask yourself, apart from Don Brash, can you name any of the other Reserve Bank Governors who have served New Zealand over the past 20 odd years? Adrian Orr has certainly made a name for himself. He would argue not of his own doing... possibly. Opposition parties are alarmed at his reappointment for a further five years. Furthermore, they're concerned about many of the Reserve Bank Board appointees that unanimously endorsed Orr’s contract being extended for a further five years.   You've also had in the past, many experienced people who've been critical of the Reserve Bank’s performance. Really, that's Adrian Orr’s performance. Former Governors Graham Wheeler, Don Brash and Grant Spencer have criticised the bank, former chair Arthur Grimes and former Chief Economist John Dermot. Mainly because of the extent of the monetary policy easing.   Sam Stubbs, Simplicity Kiwisaver fund chief executive, put forward a column in defence of Adrian Orr and says well can anyone name a central bank anywhere in the world that made all the right decisions during Covid? And who now has inflation under control? Sam Stubbs says that looking at how well our economy actually performed during the Covid crisis, it's a tough judgement to say the Reserve Bank mishandled it. You could also point to just about every single Western democracy and say they're  reaping what they've sown. They're facing the consequences of the decisions made by the central banks during a crisis that nobody had seen before.   All I know is what I'm experiencing and what I'm seeing. All I know is what commentators are saying, and that's that we're in for a world of pain because everything was overcooked. We're now going to suffer as a result of decisions made by a man who's just been appointed for another five years. How does that work? I mean, most of us most of us don't even think about Reserve Bank policy decisions, because they don't affect us, and isn't that the way it should be? This shouldn't even be a topic for talk back and an ideal world yet here we are.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

And thus, the bribes begin.  That's the good thing about being in government in the lead up to an election - you can actually do stuff.  Give stuff away.  The opposition can only promise. You can only imagine what the opposition will give you. Labour will be readying itself for a great big lolly scramble in the lead up to the election, as the polls show Labour slipping away, threatening to consign this government to the history books. So you can bet your bippy that the bribes and the giveaways will amp up. Long way to go, long way to go till the next election, but you can never take polls for granted. Winston Peters was right about that. But as the polls - and Labour does its own internal polls as well, so they’re very aware that people are grumpy. And people are grumpy because everything costs more, it’s been a tough couple of years, there’s numerous reasons why we’re all grumpy.  And some very good reasons why we can blame this government. So they will want to promise, give away, cajole, entice, and bribe voters back to the vault. Post the Labour party conference over the weekend, the Prime Minister announced Working For Families would see an increase of an extra nine dollars for the oldest child, which would buy you a jar of marmite. A couple of boxes of Weetbix. It’ll help! Every little bit will at the moment. And also an expansion to childcare subsidies.  As of April next year, people with incomes up to 109 thousand and 96 dollars will be eligible for childcare assistance subsidies.  The PM is hoping, A) to get votes, but B) that this will also make it viable for the child carers, women primarily, who are home with children to go back to work to help ease labour shortages.  Will it? Will the extra assistance make it worthwhile to go back to work? I also would have thought too that given the damning report on Early Childhood Education that came out earlier this year, it would’ve been better to put more money into the sector rather than to the pockets of parents, although I guess there are no votes in that.  But remember the damning report that came out earlier this year basically calling a lot of the Early Childhood Care ‘child farms,’ that Early Childhood Education is a train wreck, that it’s a sector heading backwards, that things have gone downhill. I would’ve thought to have put the money into the sector itself. It’s something Chris Hipkins says is a passion of his, and that much of the criticism aimed at staffing ratios and pay in the for-profit part of the sector - which grew massively under National and is now embedded. He says would take multiple budgets to fix. But he’s had multiple budgets. He’s had five. And that would’ve helped if there’d been a focus on the sector itself. Given that it’s a passion of Ardern’s, and given that it’s a passion of Hipkins’, you would’ve thought it would’ve got a bit better. But it appears not. So, given that. If women have the choice. Mostly women, predominantly women, but some men. If you had the choice of being able to stay home, and educate your children, take them to child play centres as  opposed to childcare centres. You would wouldn’t you? Given the damning report on so many, and also given how difficult it is to find a place. They might not be ideal, according to this report, but most parents need them. Because you need two incomes for most families. There are some very, very good early childhood centres out there. Very good. And a lot of them are struggling. And if you had the choice you’d stay home wouldn’t you? I would love to hear from those of you who have experience of early childhood centres, who would value this assistance that the prime minister has promised, that the government has promised. Those of you that have chosen not to send children to early childhood centres, what was the reason for doing that? And, I’d love to hear too, seeing as we’re on the giveaways, seeing as we’re on the bribes, seeing as we’ve got a good ten months on the giveaways: what would make a difference for you? I can imagine for families, the assistance for early childhood education would be a great help, raising the threshold to 109 thousand would be a great help. What would help you? What would make a difference in your life? What kind of bribe would you be happy to accept?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington family is speaking out this morning, sharing their experience with the health system after their 4 year old son died after complications from tonsillitis. The parents sorted treatment at the Kenepuru and Wellington Regional Hospitals, and the main complaint is the level of time it took for their son to be seen, and a lack of response to some of his symptoms. The matter is still before the coroner and being investigated by the Health and Disability Commissioner, but the family is speaking out because they don’t want this to happen to anyone else. It’s a tragic, heart-breaking and isolated story, but it does raise the question, as a parent, do you feel heard when explaining your concerns about your child or adolescents health, or do you find you’re more often than not being told to just administer Pamol? Parents – and often first time parents – can be overly concerned about their babies and children. Been there, done that. And children seem to pick up virus you’ve never heard of as an adult like slap cheek, and I had no idea that kids could get Hand, Foot and Mouth. But just because you’re dealing with an overly cautious parent doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be heard. As babies grow into toddlers and older, I tend to think the main caregiver develops good intuition as to when the child needs medical treatment beyond Pamol, when they really aren’t right. We shouldn’t dismiss that intuition. There have always been long waits in Emergency Departments. We know services that were already struggling before Covid, are even more stretched now. We know that factors such as winter aliments, increased demand and staff illness also places pressure on the system. I have faith that our medical professionals are doing their best to give people the best care they can. But mistakes are going to happen when our health system is under pressure. It’s not just EDs under pressure – our GPs are also under great pressure. Dr Brian Betty, College of GP’s Medical Director, summed up the situation on Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning. The wait times in some areas of New Zealand to see a GP are quite frankly horrific. The pressure on ED’s and primary care are intertwined, and we’re suffering for it. So with an understanding of the pressures and issues – how are you navigating the health system at the moment? Are you struggling to get treatment, do you feel heard when you visit the doctor? How easy is it to get a diagnosis? Are you concerned that mistakes will happen when our health system is under pressure?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having heard from Mahanga Mitchell on his journey and the decision to pull funding from the Sheilah Winn Festival, it's time for a different take on the matter, especially from someone close to him.  Mitchell's former teacher Fiona Churcher joined Kerre Woodham to talk the decision and her perspective of Mitchell's journey. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Creative New Zealand has decided to withdraw the funding for the Sheilah Winn Festival after deciding it represents a "canon of imperialism". Actor Mahanga Mitchell joined Kerre Woodham to discuss more about it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sonia Gray joined Kerre Woodham to discuss the challenges she and her family face having a neurodivergent child and TVNZ's new show Kids Wired Differently. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We were streamed at our school - languages on one side, with Latin at the top - technical on the other.  Streaming seems like a relic of a bygone era - I wasn't even sure that streaming still existed until the story came out that teachers’ unions want streaming in schools to be abolished.  I'm sure it makes classes easier to teach. You're all on the same page, literally and metaphorically. You all learn the same subjects the same way. But that's not life.  We're surrounded by all sorts of people with all sorts of abilities. Just being good at English or Maths doesn't make you good at everything. Being good academically doesn't mean you're a winner in life. Being practical and having hands on learning skills doesn't make you dumb.  And yet so many of us were pigeon holed - we were one thing, but not the other. How on earth is streaming still a thing? And does that kind of thinking still exist?  That if you're a tradie, you're not as smart as someone with a half-arsed degree? Surely not.  Surely that kind of thinking when out with walk shorts and socks. Is there anyone willing to mount a case for streaming and how many people were put into the wrong box when they were at school. What sort of ramifications does that have for life?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hard enough accepting a much loved mum or dad needs to leave their home and go into assisted living. First the retirement village, then the rest home, then the hospital.  You want to ensure their last few years are full of life, full of fun then when the good times get fewer and farther between, that they are treated with care and respect as their bodies and minds start to let them down.  And yet, for those trying to find rest home level care for their parents, the past few years has been a nightmare.  Registered aged care nurses are reportedly working up to 16 hours in shifts and managers are sleeping on site for several nights a week to make sure rosters are covered amid critical staffing shortages. Aged care facilities issued 2004 Section 31 notifications – a legally mandated report of health and safety risks – by the end of August this year. It's a stark jump from the 260 submissions in 2020 and 851 for 2021. Aged Care Matters Convenor Norah Barlow says closed borders, lengthy immigration process, more attractive wage offers from overseas and unresolved pay equity problems have exacerbated a nursing shortage that’s been coming for some time. Without aged care facilities – which have had to close more than 790 beds this year – elderly Kiwis who needed care would be sent to public hospitals, Barlow said. “No one wants to get old and sick, but if it happens, and if we’re not here, then God save New Zealand because we won’t be getting any electives [planned surgeries].” In the past six months, rest homes have been forced to reduce the number of available beds by more than 1000 due to staffing shortages, and the sector requires 1200 more nurses to continue providing adequate care. "Yes we've had struggles before but this is by far the deepest and most prolonged crisis that the industry has faced... and it's not just now it's the future that I'm really concerned about," Hendry said. And with good reason. Over the next 20 years, the population over the age of 85 is set to double. Those bearing the brunt of the shortage say the temporary changes announced by the Immigration Minister don't go far enough. "We would have liked to have seen an announcement around nurses, for nurses to be given immediate residency," said New Zealand Aged Care Association (NZACA) CEO Simon Wallace. "We're a nursing-led organisation and sector and without the proper cover, we can't continue to function as we should. Immigration will help but predominantly it's a pay parity issue with nurses working in the public sector," Hendry added.  So where are we getting the nurses from, those men and women who will give older New Zealanders the care and dignity in their later years? Immigration Minister Michael Wood said 2300 nurses were able to enter New Zealand via border exemptions, between 2000 to 3000 were likely to attain permanent residency through the 2021 residency visa, and the two-year pathway was in place now as well.  So how many have arrived in the country?  On the 8th of August, only nine nurses applied to come to the country in the first four weeks of a new residency visa, according to Employment Ministry figures released to RNZ. How many now? Who knows? But hardly the number we need.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mood of the Boardroom has been taken and the mood is decidedly grumpy.   This is a yearly survey undertaken by the New Zealand Herald. The survey of New Zealand major CEOs - 90 CEOs and 18 directors responded to the survey - found that confidence in Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson’s leadership is on the wane, as the Government struggles to push through its major reforms. Skills and labour shortages, immigration settings, inflation here at home, the Ukraine, supply chain disruptions and aggressive monetary tightening abroad have all contributed to this optimism in the boardroom and less confidence in the Government. This is being replicated right around the country, right around the world. But there is no doubt that as this Government term has progressed, people are starting to lack confidence that they will be able to deliver on what they've promised. And while they are focused on pushing through these big reforms, there's a feeling that they've taken their eye off the ball when it comes to important domestic issues like crime, like education, like health. I don't want to be negative. I'm not by nature a negative person. Anyone who has only ever met me through these airwaves probably doesn't believe it, but I'm generally positive and optimistic. But you call it like you see it. What happens, I think, is that governments, and this would be successive governments as they stay in power longer, become less and less aware of what is actually happening in communities. They're in their own bubble. They're in their own bubble with their own people, their own people who believe what they believe, their own people who are paid to say they believe in the ideology that's being promulgated, who are being paid to implement some of these big ideas that Labour came in with.   In the meantime, on the ground, in homes, you've got people whose operations are being cancelled, you've got kids who are struggling at school and not getting the help that they need, you've got retailers who just want to give up after two years of the pandemic and then have been hit time and again by ram raiders. You know, I think there is a real disconnect between what Labour thinks it's done, what Labour thinks it's doing, how well Labour thinks it's doing, and what the Mood of the Boardroom and the mood of the people actually is.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.