A Christchurch mother says current bereavement leave rules don’t give families enough time to grieve. 

Sheena Hemens has launched a petition to increase the minimum entitlement from three days to ten, after her 27-year-old daughter Lauren was killed in a car crash nearly three years ago. 

She says most people don't realise how little time you get to grieve until tragedy strikes, and the allowance feels like an insult.  

Hemens told Francesca Rudkin that if you need more than three days, the only options currently are to use annual or sick leave, or to take unpaid leave. 

Taking unpaid leave is not a fiscal option for many, she says, and it means that at the worst time of someone’s life, they’re being asked to be under financial pressure. 

“That seems, just inhuman.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

A Christchurch mother says current bereavement leave rules don’t give families enough time to grieve.&nbsp;
Sheena Hemens has launched a petition to increase the minimum entitlement from three days to ten, after her 27-year-old daughter Lauren was killed in a car crash nearly three years ago.&nbsp;
She says most people don't realise how little time you get to grieve until tragedy strikes, and the allowance feels like an insult. &nbsp;
Hemens told Francesca Rudkin that if you need more than three days, the only options currently are to use annual or sick leave, or to take unpaid leave.&nbsp;
Taking unpaid leave is not a fiscal option for many, she says, and it means that at the worst time of someone’s life, they’re being asked to be under financial pressure.&nbsp;
“That seems, just inhuman.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Sheena Hemens: Christchurch mother on her call to extend bereavement leave from three days to ten

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/e465899b-58d5-40ba-b375-b45e0184e745/transcript

US President Donald Trump has confirmed some frustrations were shared in his call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Earlier this week, anonymous sources claimed the call was filled with expletives, Trump calling Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” and accusing him of ingratitude.  

Trump confirmed on The New York Post’s ‘Pod Force One’ that he did indeed call him crazy, but claimed he was perturbed, rather than angry. 

US Correspondent Kate Fisher told Francesca Rudkin this illustrates how difficult the situation is. 

She says Trump wants to see a diplomatic end to the conflict with Iran, while Netanyahu is pushing for more military action. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

US President Donald Trump has confirmed some frustrations were shared in his call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.&nbsp;
Earlier this week, anonymous sources claimed the call was filled with expletives, Trump calling Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” and accusing him of ingratitude. &nbsp;
Trump confirmed on The New York Post’s ‘Pod Force One’ that he did indeed call him crazy, but claimed he was perturbed, rather than angry.&nbsp;
US Correspondent Kate Fisher told Francesca Rudkin this illustrates how difficult the situation is.&nbsp;
She says Trump wants to see a diplomatic end to the conflict with Iran, while Netanyahu is pushing for more military action.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Kate Fisher: US Correspondent on the call between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5e7731eb-89b3-4e0e-b509-b45f0002a5e7/transcript

The Government's hoping a youth programme funding boost will help keep kids on the straight and narrow.  

It's confirmed an $8 million cash injection to support troubled young people through sport and physical activity.  

Sports and Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Francesca Rudkin it will reach a wide range of kids, including some already inside youth justice facilities.  

He says they're using trusted community organisations like Champions Initiative boxing group, Blue Light, and Tauranga-based Live for More. 

Mitchell says wants to provide more funding down the track. 

He says it's about providing the best role models, and getting more youth engaged in sport, which can transform lives.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

The Government's hoping a youth programme funding boost will help keep kids on the straight and narrow. &nbsp;
It's confirmed an $8 million cash injection to support troubled young people through sport and physical activity. &nbsp;
Sports and Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Francesca Rudkin it will reach a wide range of kids, including some already inside youth justice facilities. &nbsp;
He says they're using trusted community organisations like Champions Initiative boxing group, Blue Light, and Tauranga-based Live for More.&nbsp;
Mitchell says wants to provide more funding down the track.&nbsp;
He says it's about providing the best role models, and getting more youth engaged in sport, which can transform lives. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Mark Mitchell: Sport and Police Minister on the $8 million funding injection for youth intervention through sport

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/003245c7-f77d-4f10-a9b3-b45e0181f882/transcript

In a podcast earlier this week, Former First Lady Michelle Obama had some wisdom for the Gen Z generation (aged between 14 and 29) when it comes to employment and their work ethic.   

She said she wants Gen Z to understand that every experience, the bad boss, the boring assistant job, the job you weren’t appreciated in, the one that didn’t give you the assignment you wanted when you wanted it, all of that is teaching them to be resilient.  

Why is it important to learn to endure a boring job, a bad boss or setbacks? Well, she believes Gen Z’s need for instant gratification means they aren’t getting the experiences they need to develop the skills needed to be good leaders. She feels young people today want to do what they want to do, or what they are good at, but it’s just as valuable to learn to do something they don’t want to do, and to do it well.   

I think Michelle Obama has a really good point. Sometimes in a job you just have to suck it up to get the money and experience needed to help you get to where you want to be. 

But I’d argue that many young people are working jobs they don’t particularly enjoy. With a 17- and 19-year-old, I see it all around me. Whether they’re high school students earning some spending cash, university students working part time to pay for their education and living costs, those who’ve been told by their parents to ‘learn or earn’, or graduates taking whatever job they can get.  

I also see lots of students with work experience applying constantly for jobs and getting nowhere. So no, I don’t see a lazy generation afraid of a job they don’t like.   

What we do have though is a difficult youth job market. Stats NZ figures show youth unemployment has risen substantially since 2022. The share of young people not in work, education, or training remains at its highest since the pandemic at 14.4% in the March 2026 quarter.  

New Zealand's overall unemployment rate was 5.3% in March, up from the unusually low rates seen during 2022–2023 and young workers are usually the first group affected when hiring slows.   

We also know entry-level and graduate jobs appear harder to obtain because competition has increased, employers are hiring more cautiously, and, if Reddit is anything to go by, employers want graduates with 1 to 3 years’ experience, even for "entry-level" jobs.   

I think you’ll find most young people are taking what they can get – scarcity of jobs means being choosy isn’t an option.  

Or course there will always be some who find life easier sitting on the couch and taking a benefit – there always has been.   

Maybe, it’s the slightly different approach to work that irks the rest of us a little.   

Gen Zs typically put more importance on work-life balance, mental health, meaningful work, and flexible working arrangements. This can be frustrating for employers, but there are plenty of middle-aged workaholics who have belatedly realised there’s real value in work-life balance.   

They’re one step ahead of us on some things. 

In a podcast earlier this week, Former First Lady Michelle Obama had some wisdom for the Gen Z generation (aged between 14 and 29) when it comes to employment and their work ethic. &nbsp;&nbsp;
She said she wants Gen Z to understand that every experience, the bad boss, the boring assistant job, the job you weren’t appreciated in, the one that didn’t give you the assignment you wanted when you wanted it, all of that is teaching them to be resilient. &nbsp;
Why is it important to learn to endure a boring job, a bad boss or setbacks? Well, she believes Gen Z’s need for instant gratification means they aren’t getting the experiences they need to develop the skills needed to be good leaders. She feels young people today want to do what they want to do, or what they are good at, but it’s just as valuable to learn to do something they don’t want to do, and to do it well. &nbsp;&nbsp;
I think Michelle Obama has a really good point. Sometimes in a job you just have to suck it up to get the money and experience needed to help you get to where you want to be.&nbsp;
But I’d argue that many young people are working jobs they don’t particularly enjoy. With a 17- and 19-year-old, I see it all around me. Whether they’re high school students earning some spending cash, university students working part time to pay for their education and living costs, those who’ve been told by their parents to ‘learn or earn’, or graduates taking whatever job they can get. &nbsp;
I also see lots of students with work experience applying constantly for jobs and getting nowhere. So no, I don’t see a lazy generation afraid of a job they don’t like. &nbsp;&nbsp;
What we do have though is a difficult youth job market. Stats NZ figures show youth unemployment has risen substantially since 2022. The share of young people not in work, education, or training remains at its highest since the pandemic at 14.4% in the March 2026 quarter. &nbsp;
New Zealand's overall unemployment rate was 5.3% in March, up from the unusually low rates seen during 2022–2023 and young workers are usually the first group affected when hiring slows. &nbsp;&nbsp;
We also know entry-level and graduate jobs appear harder to obtain because competition has increased, employers are hiring more cautiously, and, if Reddit is anything to go by, employers want graduates with 1 to 3 years’ experience, even for "entry-level" jobs. &nbsp;&nbsp;
I think you’ll find most young people are taking what they can get – scarcity of jobs means being choosy isn’t an option. &nbsp;
Or course there will always be some who find life easier sitting on the couch and taking a benefit – there always has been. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Maybe, it’s the slightly different approach to work that irks the rest of us a little. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Gen Zs typically put more importance on work-life balance, mental health, meaningful work, and flexible working arrangements. This can be frustrating for employers, but there are plenty of middle-aged workaholics who have belatedly realised there’s real value in work-life balance. &nbsp;&nbsp;
They’re one step ahead of us on some things.&nbsp;

Francesca Rudkin: The story of Gen Z and their work ethic

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/52eec00c-26b8-4cf1-957f-b45e017bec63/transcript

Sheena Hemens: Christchurch mother on her call to extend bereavement leave from three days to ten

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