Nine To Noon for Friday 2 August 2024

09:05 Polytechs need to cut staff and courses - Minister

The country's stricken vocational education providers need to cut staff and courses to become financially sustainable, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds says. The government has unveiled plans to unite the weakest polytechnics and let the strongest stand alone. A consultation document published on Thursday said a federation of small polytechnics would be supported by the Open Polytechnic. But Minister Simmonds told Morning Report earlier before the new sector could take shape, costs need to be cut - including  $130 million of land and buildings that need to be sold. Back in 2019 then Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker wrote a paper proposing the federation model for struggling polytechs. He speaks to Kathryn about the proposals. 

09:15 Financial complaints increase as loan checks are loosened

Financial mentors are worried more people will spiral into debt now that regulations requiring affordability checks for loans have been scrapped. The rules under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act were criticised by the government for being overly prescriptive, and were lifted on Tuesday. Loan-related disputes already make up a third of complaints to the Financial Ombudsman.  David Verry of North Harbour Budgeting Services says without the regulations to protect them, fewer complainants will be successful. Kathryn also speaks with Finance Ombudsman Susan Taylor about the six per cent rise in complaints her scheme has received in the last year.

09:20 'I'm In' -  wraparound jobseeker support 

Earlier this month, the number of people on a benefit reached a new record for the June quarter with over 380,889 people or 11.9% of the working-age population receiving a benefit. Someone working quietly to change those figures, is Lower Hutt man, Thomas Maharaj. He's the founder of 'I'm in' a pre-employment programme designed to support businesses to take a chance on kiwis, and provide pastoral care and pre-employment support to jobseekers who are eager to enter the workforce. In just over a year 'I'm In' has grown to have two offices, one in each half of the country, and a newly opened employment centre in Lower Hutt, as their team and the number of people their placing in work continues to grow.

09:45 Asia correspondent Elizabeth Beattie

While the Supreme Court in Bangladesh has scrapped quotas on government jobs following mass student protests in Pakistan, unrest and violence is ongoing. Myanmar's military dictatorship is extending the state of emergency in the country its struggles to maintain its grip on, despite ruling brutally. And Hong Kong Pizza Hut is aggressively promoting its pineapple pizza, telling customers they can even add pineapple to their pizzas for free, after tensions broke out over Hong Kong's Olympic win over Italy.

 

10:05 High flying doctor piloting her way to see West Coast patients

Along with her day job as an anaesthetist based in Nelson, Katie Ben is the new president of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists.  Dr Ben has been working in private and public hospitals since 2010. Every few weeks, she flies herself with an instructor in to different townships on the West Coast to see patients who've requested an assessment under the End of Life Choice Act. To drive would take several hours. She talks to Kathryn about a big workload covering a large area.

10:35 Book review: The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim 

Eden Denyer from Unity Books Wellington reviews The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim published by Hachette

10:45 Around the motu: Kelly Makiha in Rotorua

The Government is looking to extend contracted emergency housing motels for another year, Kelly backgrounds the situation on the ground. And Rotorua's Mayor Tania Tapsell has been criticised for the way she "shut down" the country's longest-serving councillor as he tried to ask a question. Māori ward councillor Trevor Maxwell says it's part of the job to lick your wounds and carry on, but is left feeling "disappointed, frustrated and ashamed" by the interaction.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist with the Rotorua Daily Post

 

11:05 New music with Jeremy Taylor

A third solo album from former Shack/ Pale Fountains frontman Michael Head, the pure pop hit of Charli XCX's 'Brat', and we farewell one of our great Martin Phillips from the Chills. 

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

As New Zealand's medal tally at the Olympics grows with overnight success in the rowing, Sam has the latest.

11:45 The week that was with Te Radar & Irene Pink