Unemployment's reached the highest level in 11 years.  

Stats NZ data shows the rate reached 5.6% in the June quarter, up from 5.3% in the March quarter.  

Of the 166 thousand unemployed in this year's second quarter, almost a-fifth had been without work for more than a year.  

Herald Business Editor at Large Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham some economists think the rate won't fall again any time soon.  

He says some predict it'll increase to 5.7% and hang around at high levels into next year.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

Unemployment's reached the highest level in 11 years. &nbsp;
Stats NZ data shows the rate reached 5.6% in the June quarter, up from 5.3% in the March quarter. &nbsp;
Of the 166 thousand unemployed in this year's second quarter, almost a-fifth had been without work for more than a year. &nbsp;
Herald Business Editor at Large Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham some economists think the rate won't fall again any time soon. &nbsp;
He says some predict it'll increase to 5.7% and hang around at high levels into next year. &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 unemployment rate rising to 5.6% in June

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/53809263-6973-438c-8ff5-b49c0187eed1/transcript

Christopher Luxon says he supports having another referendum on the MMP voting system if he’s re-elected as he encourages greater support for National so the party can avoid working with “some yahoo and numpty” in Cabinet.

Act leader David Seymour says he’s not opposed to another referendum but suggests Luxon “may not have thought through what he’s saying” regarding ministers from other parties, noting the number of National ministers who had been dismissed this term.

Speaking on Newstalk ZB this morning, Luxon made the statement in response to a listener who had texted in asking whether the PM would address the power held by minor parties in governing arrangements.

Luxon initially pointed to the Government working towards a referendum on whether to extend government terms from three years to four, before saying he was “open” to asking voters whether they were “still supportive of MMP”.

Asked if he would do so if he were Prime Minister next year, Luxon replied: “Yeah, I think I would.”

He added: “I think I would because I actually think, you know, that it is quite right to check in constitutionally and say, is this the system, New Zealand, you still want?

“You know, you voted for this in the 90s, we’ve had a check-in in the [20]10s, 20 years down the road or whatever it has been, is it still where you want to be?”

Luxon went on to talk about his 20-person Cabinet, currently made up of ministers from National, Act and New Zealand First. 

He argued the best way to provide a “strong and stable government” was to have as many National ministers in Cabinet as possible. 

“When you have to form coalition governments, you don’t have the same values, you don’t have the same policies, you’re not talking to the same people. 

“You try and find the common ground and I feel like I have done the best I can in two and a half years to find common ground on the economy, law and order, education and health. 

“I think you’ve got to ask the question, I feel like I’ve got responsible, sensible ministers delivering: Mark Mitchell, Todd McCay, Erica Stanford Nicola Willis, Simeon Brown, Chris Bishop, you know, I’ve got amazing people doing incredible work who take it very seriously. 

“The question is, I keep saying, I don’t need some yahoo or numpty from some other party around that table, I can do a lot more to get the centre-right agenda, centre being the operative word, done and out the door so think about your vote, November 7, it’s important.” 

Asked if his current coalition partners were yahoos and numpties, Luxon replied: “No, I’m just saying I can do better with National Party ministers, I think New Zealand’s better served by that.” 

Asked by ZB host Kerre Woodham if he’d prefer Mitchell around the Cabinet table over former National MP and current NZ First candidate Michael Laws, Luxon replied: “You said it.” 

Act leader David Seymour defended the work of his ministers. Photo / Mark Mitchell 

Speaking to the Herald, Seymour said he wasn’t certain whether Luxon was calling his ministers yahoos and numpties. 

“Who knows, I suspect that he’s being a bit free-wheeling and may not have thought through what he’s saying there.” 

Seymour noted how several National ministers had been dismissed during this term before pointing to work achieved by Act ministers, including on school attendance and reforms concerning the Holidays Act, Arms Act and the Resource Management Act. 

“I’m not here to start bagging other parties’ ministers but I think anyone who’s an objective observer would say that Act ministers have been pretty effective.” 

On a referendum, Seymour said he wasn’t opposed but said any change would be unlikely to be implemented until the 2032 or 2035 elections and there were “more urgent problems” to address. 

In a statement on social media, Peters commended MMP for having “broke the stranglehold” of Labour and National on “running roughshod over our economy without social licence”. 

“Now that the two old parties are losing their grip on power, they want to change the electoral system to favour their falling fortunes.” 

Referencing the previous referendums in 1993 and 2011, Peters said people wanted different representation in Parliament than what Labour and National could provide. 

“The old parties’ weak and inept attitude to economic sovereignty, immigration, and woke nonsense has seen people move to a party that is offering common sense, patriotism, and old-fashioned Kiwi values. 

“Shutting down and taking away true democratic representation from the people of New Zealand should be seen for what it is – a power grab and an ignorance for what it means to be a democracy.” 

Adam Pearse is the deputy political editor and part of the NZ Herald’s press gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Christopher Luxon says he supports having another referendum on the MMP voting system if he’s re-elected as he encourages greater support for National so the party can avoid working with “some yahoo and numpty” in Cabinet.
Act leader David Seymour says he’s not opposed to another referendum but suggests Luxon “may not have thought through what he’s saying” regarding ministers from other parties, noting the number of National ministers who had been dismissed this term.
Speaking on Newstalk ZB this morning, Luxon made the statement in response to a listener who had texted in asking whether the PM would address the power held by minor parties in governing arrangements.
Luxon initially pointed to the Government working towards a referendum on whether to extend government terms from three years to four, before saying he was “open” to asking voters whether they were “still supportive of MMP”.

Asked if he would do so if he were Prime Minister next year, Luxon replied: “Yeah, I think I would.”
He added: “I think I would because I actually think, you know, that it is quite right to check in constitutionally and say, is this the system, New Zealand, you still want?
“You know, you voted for this in the 90s, we’ve had a check-in in the [20]10s, 20 years down the road or whatever it has been, is it still where you want to be?”
Luxon went on to talk about his 20-person Cabinet, currently made up of ministers from National, Act and New Zealand First.&nbsp;
He argued the best way to provide a “strong and stable government” was to have as many National ministers in Cabinet as possible.&nbsp;
“When you have to form coalition governments, you don’t have the same values, you don’t have the same policies, you’re not talking to the same people.&nbsp;
“You try and find the common ground and I feel like I have done the best I can in two and a half years to find common ground on the economy, law and order, education and health.&nbsp;
“I think you’ve got to ask the question, I feel like I’ve got responsible, sensible ministers delivering: Mark Mitchell, Todd McCay, Erica Stanford Nicola Willis, Simeon Brown, Chris Bishop, you know, I’ve got amazing people doing incredible work who take it very seriously.&nbsp;
“The question is, I keep saying, I don’t need some yahoo or numpty from some other party around that table, I can do a lot more to get the centre-right agenda, centre being the operative word, done and out the door so think about your vote, November 7, it’s important.”&nbsp;
Asked if his current coalition partners were yahoos and numpties, Luxon replied: “No, I’m just saying I can do better with National Party ministers, I think New Zealand’s better served by that.”&nbsp;
Asked by ZB host Kerre Woodham if he’d prefer Mitchell around the Cabinet table over former National MP and current NZ First candidate Michael Laws, Luxon replied: “You said it.”&nbsp;
Act leader David Seymour defended the work of his ministers. Photo / Mark Mitchell&nbsp;
Speaking to the Herald, Seymour said he wasn’t certain whether Luxon was calling his ministers yahoos and numpties.&nbsp;
“Who knows, I suspect that he’s being a bit free-wheeling and may not have thought through what he’s saying there.”&nbsp;
Seymour noted how several National ministers had been dismissed during this term before pointing to work achieved by Act ministers, including on school attendance and reforms concerning the Holidays Act, Arms Act and the Resource Management Act.&nbsp;
“I’m not here to start bagging other parties’ ministers but I think anyone who’s an objective observer would say that Act ministers have been pretty effective.”&nbsp;
On a referendum, Seymour said he wasn’t opposed but said any change would be unlikely to be implemented until the 2032 or 2035 elections and there were “more urgent problems” to address.&nbsp;
In a statement on social media, Peters commended MMP for having “broke the stranglehold” of Labour and National on “running roughshod over our economy without social licence”.&nbsp;
“Now that the two old parties are losing their grip on power, they want to change the electoral system to favour their falling fortunes.”&nbsp;
Referencing the previous referendums in 1993 and 2011, Peters said people wanted different representation in Parliament than what Labour and National could provide.&nbsp;
“The old parties’ weak and inept attitude to economic sovereignty, immigration, and woke nonsense has seen people move to a party that is offering common sense, patriotism, and old-fashioned Kiwi values.&nbsp;
“Shutting down and taking away true democratic representation from the people of New Zealand should be seen for what it is – a power grab and an ignorance for what it means to be a democracy.”&nbsp;
Adam Pearse is the deputy political editor and part of the NZ Herald’s press gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Christopher Luxon: Prime Minister on a MMP referendum, MP perks, comments to business leaders

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f3b9cdd7-7f04-4611-baf8-b49d018ab982/transcript

So, the Corrections Minister has halted a $9 million plan, as you will have heard this morning, to provide Rongoa Māori healthcare in prisons, including giving prisoners traditional massages called mirimiri, after questions were asked about the programme. Mark Mitchell said, first I heard of it. But Corrections launched a procurement process for the services in all New Zealand prisons in July, after a trial was run in a couple of prisons. Seemed to work well.  

Rongoa is traditional Māori medicine, including herbal remedies, physical therapies, and spiritual healing. The listing from correction details the plans, including rolling out karakia, mahi wairua, and mirimiri – that's the massage therapy. But Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking this morning the massage programme has been put on pause, saying it doesn't meet his expectations.  

“I was unaware that there was a programme that was delivering massages, and I agree with you. I mean, that's part of it ... Probably done with the best of intentions, because, you know, our Corrections people are outstanding. Do tens of thousands of positive actions every day in terms of rehabilitation, but this did not meet my expectations.

“My focus quite simply had been, Mike, on delivering rehabilitation that gave people real life skills or something that would enable them to actually get started again, reintegrate, make good decisions – things like getting a driver's license or getting them some sort of trade qualification. That is what I want done with taxpayers' money.” 

According to the 2004 Corrections Act, the standard of healthcare available to prisoners must be reasonably equivalent to the standard of healthcare available to the public. And Rongoa Māori is available to the public. It's delivered across primary healthcare and within community contexts across New Zealand. The number of ACC people using Rongoa Māori was 9,000 in 2024 – about 59% of them were Māori clients, 41% non-Māori. So it's a thing. It's an alternative health practice that is reasonably common within the community.  

I'm all for rehabilitation in our prisoners and giving people a chance, but wouldn't it be better to put the $9 million into literary programmes? Literacy, numeracy, for those that want to learn how to communicate, perhaps anger management courses so you don't beat the living bejesus out of some poor fool who's cut you off in the traffic. Mindfulness, perhaps, would give more bang for prisoner buck, I would have thought, learning how to control your stress or your temper. Or even marriage therapy, relationship counselling would give you more bang for your prisoner buck. Because from what I've been told from ex-cons, the reason they gave up offending was for family, for wives and kids. They just thought, no, more. I want to be on the outside and see my kids grow up. So maybe relationship counselling would give you more bang for buck than a good old mirimiri on a Sunday afternoon.   

A massage is something I book as a present to myself, as a reward to myself when I could afford it. It's not part of my ongoing healthcare. I'm sure there are aspects of Rongoa Māori that are enormously helpful, but no, I just can't see how you could possibly justify massage. That's a nice to have, not a must have. And sure it's available in the community, but it's not considered part of standard healthcare, I would have thought. It's not generally funded by primary health providers to get people back on their feet.  

There are so many things that people in our prisons need to be able to integrate into society before massage, I would have thought, but then I haven't been inside. Thank heavens. I haven't done anything really, even flicking back through the filo facts of sins of my past, I haven't done anything that could have put me inside. So I don't know. What do you need if you've served time to help you get back on your feet? What do you need if you go to prison, which you accept as collateral damage as part of the price of being in the gang? What do you need to divert you from that life to another?  

Honestly, over the many, many years I've done talk back and talked to people who've been in prison, the only thing that really does seem to work is Jesus or relationships, wanting to be with your family and wanting to see your kids grow up. wanting to be with the good person who stood by you. All the courses in the world don't seem to make a blind bit of difference. But having a purpose, either through God or through family, and the second tier would be getting a job. Having a massage every Sunday in your cell, I don't see how that's going to help. For those of you who have been there, done that, I would love to hear from you. What does work? Where should money for rehabilitation go? What programs do you think are required for those who have provided services designed to get people back on their feet, either inside prison or out? Again, given the huge menu of options we have now in terms of alternative healthcare, what works? I'm sure we wouldn't begrudge $9 million being spent on keeping people out of prison – we would get that money back in no time at all.  

So, the Corrections Minister has halted a $9 million plan, as you will have heard this morning, to provide Rongoa Māori healthcare in prisons, including giving prisoners traditional massages called mirimiri, after questions were asked about the programme. Mark Mitchell said, first I heard of it. But Corrections launched a procurement process for the services in all New Zealand prisons in July, after a trial was run in a couple of prisons. Seemed to work well. &nbsp;
Rongoa is traditional Māori medicine, including herbal remedies, physical therapies, and spiritual healing. The listing from correction details the plans, including rolling out karakia, mahi wairua, and mirimiri – that's the massage therapy. But Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking this morning the massage programme has been put on pause, saying it doesn't meet his expectations. &nbsp;
“I was unaware that there was a programme that was delivering massages, and I agree with you. I mean, that's part of it ... Probably done with the best of intentions, because, you know, our Corrections people are outstanding. Do tens of thousands of positive actions every day in terms of rehabilitation, but this did not meet my expectations.
“My focus quite simply had been, Mike, on delivering rehabilitation that gave people real life skills or something that would enable them to actually get started again, reintegrate, make good decisions – things like getting a driver's license or getting them some sort of trade qualification. That is what I want done with taxpayers' money.”&nbsp;
According to the 2004 Corrections Act, the standard of healthcare available to prisoners must be reasonably equivalent to the standard of healthcare available to the public. And Rongoa Māori is available to the public. It's delivered across primary healthcare and within community contexts across New Zealand. The number of ACC people using Rongoa Māori was 9,000 in 2024 – about 59% of them were Māori clients, 41% non-Māori. So it's a thing. It's an alternative health practice that is reasonably common within the community. &nbsp;
I'm all for rehabilitation in our prisoners and giving people a chance, but wouldn't it be better to put the $9 million into literary programmes? Literacy, numeracy, for those that want to learn how to communicate, perhaps anger management courses so you don't beat the living bejesus out of some poor fool who's cut you off in the traffic. Mindfulness, perhaps, would give more bang for prisoner buck, I would have thought, learning how to control your stress or your temper. Or even marriage therapy, relationship counselling would give you more bang for your prisoner buck. Because from what I've been told from ex-cons, the reason they gave up offending was for family, for wives and kids. They just thought, no, more. I want to be on the outside and see my kids grow up. So maybe relationship counselling would give you more bang for buck than a good old mirimiri on a Sunday afternoon. &nbsp;&nbsp;
A massage is something I book as a present to myself, as a reward to myself when I could afford it. It's not part of my ongoing healthcare. I'm sure there are aspects of Rongoa Māori that are enormously helpful, but no, I just can't see how you could possibly justify massage. That's a nice to have, not a must have. And sure it's available in the community, but it's not considered part of standard healthcare, I would have thought. It's not generally funded by primary health providers to get people back on their feet. &nbsp;
There are so many things that people in our prisons need to be able to integrate into society before massage, I would have thought, but then I haven't been inside. Thank heavens. I haven't done anything really, even flicking back through the filo facts of sins of my past, I haven't done anything that could have put me inside. So I don't know. What do you need if you've served time to help you get back on your feet? What do you need if you go to prison, which you accept as collateral damage as part of the price of being in the gang? What do you need to divert you from that life to another? &nbsp;
Honestly, over the many, many years I've done talk back and talked to people who've been in prison, the only thing that really does seem to work is Jesus or relationships, wanting to be with your family and wanting to see your kids grow up. wanting to be with the good person who stood by you. All the courses in the world don't seem to make a blind bit of difference. But having a purpose, either through God or through family, and the second tier would be getting a job. Having a massage every Sunday in your cell, I don't see how that's going to help. For those of you who have been there, done that, I would love to hear from you. What does work? Where should money for rehabilitation go? What programs do you think are required for those who have provided services designed to get people back on their feet, either inside prison or out? Again, given the huge menu of options we have now in terms of alternative healthcare, what works? I'm sure we wouldn't begrudge $9 million being spent on keeping people out of prison – we would get that money back in no time at all. &nbsp;

Kerre Woodham: I can't see how you can justify giving prisoners massages

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ca4c8a19-0d88-4124-8745-b49d000f5a04/transcript

As the election draws closer, many people are struggling to decide who to vote for. 

There’s a concern that politics have become too divided, and people are becoming disillusioned with the parties they’ve supported in the past.  

At the same time, there are concerns about the more extreme views of minor parties, and the impact they have when forming coalitions. 

Political analyst and Director of Victoria University’s Democracy Project Bryce Edwards told Kerre Woodham there’s no scientific answer that will tell you who to vote for, but there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help decide. 

The first is to ask what the three most important issues are in your opinion, and compare each party’s policies for the issues. 

But Edwards says you need to really separate their promises from their records and think about what they’ve done in the past. 

“Are those promises that they’re putting forward this year credible ... will they be able to achieve this?” 

Other things to look at, he says, are personality —do they have things like integrity, honesty, or competence— and coalitions that would potentially be formed by the different parties. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

As the election draws closer, many people are struggling to decide who to vote for.&nbsp;
There’s a concern that politics have become too divided, and people are becoming disillusioned with the parties they’ve supported in the past. &nbsp;
At the same time, there are concerns about the more extreme views of minor parties, and the impact they have when forming coalitions.&nbsp;
Political analyst and Director of Victoria University’s Democracy Project Bryce Edwards told Kerre Woodham there’s no scientific answer that will tell you who to vote for, but there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help decide.&nbsp;
The first is to ask what the three most important issues are in your opinion, and compare each party’s policies for the issues.&nbsp;
But Edwards says you need to really separate their promises from their records and think about what they’ve done in the past.&nbsp;
“Are those promises that they’re putting forward this year credible ... will they be able to achieve this?”&nbsp;
Other things to look at, he says, are personality —do they have things like integrity, honesty, or competence— and coalitions that would potentially be formed by the different parties.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Bryce Edwards: Political analyst and Democracy Project Director on figuring out who to vote for

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0278b484-25c0-411a-a9f0-b49c001a6eae/transcript

Liam Dann: NZ Herald Business Editor on the unemployment rate rising to 5.6% in June

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