GDP figures just out are stronger than economists had forecast. 

Stats NZ says New Zealand's gross domestic product grew 0.8% in the March quarter – overtaking predictions of 0.7%. 

It follows a 0.5% increase the quarter before. 

Herald Business Editor-at-Large Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham it could mean the OCR won't get another cut next month. 

He says it raises the odds the Reserve Bank will keep things on hold. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

GDP figures just out are stronger than economists had forecast.&nbsp;
Stats NZ says New Zealand's gross domestic product grew 0.8% in the March quarter – overtaking predictions of 0.7%.&nbsp;
It follows a 0.5% increase the quarter before.&nbsp;
Herald Business Editor-at-Large Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham it could mean the OCR won't get another cut next month.&nbsp;
He says it raises the odds the Reserve Bank will keep things on hold.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Join Kerre Woodham one of New Zealand’s best loved personalities as she dishes up a bold, sharp and energetic show Monday to Friday 9am-12md on Newstalk ZB. News, opinion, analysis, lifestyle and entertainment – we’ve got your morning listening covered.

Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

Liam Dann: NZ Herald Business Editor on the GDP rising by 0.8%

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b4a75e3c-09ea-428f-b8d6-b3010002e6ac/transcript

Around about 30 years from now the AI bot, who will be presenting the 9am to midday show, will announce breathlessly that single-cell classes are to be done away with and open plan classrooms are planned for future school builds to allow greater collaboration between students and teachers. A more relaxed style of learning, yadda yadda yadda – what do you think? 0800 80 10 80, the AI bot will say, because as sure as God made little apples, this is going to come around again.  

Anybody who's been around since the 70s, perhaps earlier, will know that the great open plan versus single-cell classes debate has been going on, and on, and on for decades. Honestly, for people who preach collaboration and open minds, academics within education are awfully territorial and guard their own patch. Whole word learning versus phonics is another cracker, but we'll save that for the AI bot of the future.  

While open plan designs were originally designed to foster collaboration, they have often created challenges for schools. So it was stop the presses yesterday when the Minister of Education announced that open plan classrooms aren't meeting the needs of students and teachers. Colour me pink and call me shocked! Whoever would have thunk it? We did. We all knew it.  

They were originally intended to foster collaboration, and you can imagine a bunch of pointy heads sitting around a table saying: it'll be amazing – teachers will be able to draw support from one another, and those that perhaps aren't getting results from one student can look to another. Teachers will be able to foster the kind of energy and creativity that we need to see, and the children will be able to mingle. But no, it's been an abject disaster. It was an abject disaster in the 70s. It was an abject disaster in the 80s and it's been an epic disaster since John Key and Hekia Parata introduced them in 2011.  

Erica Stanford says in many cases, open plan classrooms reduce flexibility rather than enhance it. She says we've listened to the sector; new classrooms will no longer be open plan. But this is the good thing: they're not going back to the future again. They’re going to create classes that prioritise flexibility over open plan layouts, so the use of glass sliding doors means spaces can be open when you want to have a wider collaboration, but then they can be closed for focused learning.   

This idea doesn't mean we're going back to the prefab – the cold, uninsulated prefabs for every class that possibly you went to school in. If teachers want to open up space, they can, when they want to shut themselves off, they can. There is no one-size-fits-all for every class and that is the way it should be. The thing I really liked about Erica Stanford's announcement was the flexibility. This is a good thing. This is a very good thing. And I want to hear positive, joyous, fabulous response to this announcement from the Minister of Education, as one Minister who really understands her portfolio. 

Around about 30 years from now the AI bot, who will be presenting the 9am to midday show, will announce breathlessly that single-cell classes are to be done away with and open plan classrooms are planned for future school builds to allow greater collaboration between students and teachers. A more relaxed style of learning, yadda yadda yadda – what do you think? 0800 80 10 80, the AI bot will say, because as sure as God made little apples, this is going to come around again. &nbsp;
Anybody who's been around since the 70s, perhaps earlier, will know that the great open plan versus single-cell classes debate has been going on, and on, and on for decades. Honestly, for people who preach collaboration and open minds, academics within education are awfully territorial and guard their own patch. Whole word learning versus phonics is another cracker, but we'll save that for the AI bot of the future. &nbsp;
While open plan designs were originally designed to foster collaboration, they have often created challenges for schools. So it was stop the presses yesterday when the Minister of Education announced that open plan classrooms aren't meeting the needs of students and teachers. Colour me pink and call me shocked! Whoever would have thunk it? We did. We all knew it. &nbsp;
They were originally intended to foster collaboration, and you can imagine a bunch of pointy heads sitting around a table saying: it'll be amazing – teachers will be able to draw support from one another, and those that perhaps aren't getting results from one student can look to another. Teachers will be able to foster the kind of energy and creativity that we need to see, and the children will be able to mingle. But no, it's been an abject disaster. It was an abject disaster in the 70s. It was an abject disaster in the 80s and it's been an epic disaster since John Key and Hekia Parata introduced them in 2011. &nbsp;
Erica Stanford says in many cases, open plan classrooms reduce flexibility rather than enhance it. She says we've listened to the sector; new classrooms will no longer be open plan. But this is the good thing: they're not going back to the future again. They’re going to create classes that prioritise flexibility over open plan layouts, so the use of glass sliding doors means spaces can be open when you want to have a wider collaboration, but then they can be closed for focused learning. &nbsp;&nbsp;
This idea doesn't mean we're going back to the prefab – the cold, uninsulated prefabs for every class that possibly you went to school in. If teachers want to open up space, they can, when they want to shut themselves off, they can. There is no one-size-fits-all for every class and that is the way it should be. The thing I really liked about Erica Stanford's announcement was the flexibility. This is a good thing. This is a very good thing. And I want to hear positive, joyous, fabulous response to this announcement from the Minister of Education, as one Minister who really understands her portfolio.&nbsp;

Kerre Woodham: Prioritising flexible classrooms is the way to go

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4705f658-2d19-4d33-91b5-b31d00140745/transcript

The Education Minister's stressing schools can still be flexible as the Government pulls the plug on open plan classrooms. 

It was introduced by John Key's Government in 2011. 

Erica Stanford announced yesterday all new builds will now have more traditional layouts. 

She told Kerre Woodham there are good examples in the best modern learning environments. 

She’s also looking into helping fund schools to modify existing open-plan rooms. 

Stanford told Woodham she's tasking the school property agency to look into ways to help schools revert their teaching spaces. 

In the meantime, she says, schools have five year property budgets, with a category for classroom modifications they can use. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The Education Minister's stressing schools can still be flexible as the Government pulls the plug on open plan classrooms.&nbsp;
It was introduced by John Key's Government in 2011.&nbsp;
Erica Stanford announced yesterday all new builds will now have more traditional layouts.&nbsp;
She told Kerre Woodham there are good examples in the best modern learning environments.&nbsp;
She’s also looking into helping fund schools to modify existing open-plan rooms.&nbsp;
Stanford told Woodham she's tasking the school property agency to look into ways to help schools revert their teaching spaces.&nbsp;
In the meantime, she says, schools have five year property budgets, with a category for classroom modifications they can use.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Erica Stanford: Education Minister on the decision to scrap open plan classrooms

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/216267f8-05a1-4f07-a060-b31c018a6da4/transcript

Over 8,000 divorces are filed in New Zealand annually, and the process isn’t cheap.  

While the dissolution fee only costs $242, legal costs can reach into the thousands. 

Many couples fall into the so-called ‘missing middle’ — earning too much to access legal aid, but not enough to afford private lawyers. 

Australian divorce and separation lender JustFund has launched in New Zealand with the sentiment that access to justice isn’t a privilege, it’s a right. 

Their Director of Family Law, Lauren Milne, told Kerre Woodham the average cost of divorce in New Zealand is $30,000 – $15,000 per person. 

She says that most people aren’t putting aside a nest egg in case they get divorced, so it can be a struggle to pull together the funds. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Over 8,000 divorces are filed in New Zealand annually, and the process isn’t cheap. &nbsp;
While the dissolution fee only costs $242, legal costs can reach into the thousands.&nbsp;
Many couples fall into the so-called ‘missing middle’ — earning too much to access legal aid, but not enough to afford private lawyers.&nbsp;
Australian divorce and separation lender JustFund has launched in New Zealand with the sentiment that access to justice isn’t a privilege, it’s a right.&nbsp;
Their Director of Family Law, Lauren Milne, told Kerre Woodham the average cost of divorce in New Zealand is $30,000 – $15,000 per person.&nbsp;
She says that most people aren’t putting aside a nest egg in case they get divorced, so it can be a struggle to pull together the funds.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Lauren Milne: JustFund Director of Family Law on their business lending credit for divorce proceedings

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f61dcc44-662f-485a-a622-b31c00184a74/transcript

Liam Dann: NZ Herald Business Editor on the GDP rising by 0.8%

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