At this time of year it’s traditional for political commentators to pick their politician of the year.

And interestingly, the NZ Herald this past weekend went for Simeon Brown.

Now, I think Simeon’s right up there. There’s a reason he’s called Golden Balls. But I don’t think he’s the one.

I think that honour has got to go to Erica Stanford and it’s not even a competition as far as I’m concerned.

No disrespect to Simeon Brown, because he is fixing up a bunch of stuff that needs fixing up like speed limits, potholes, Wellington City Council, speed bumps, Transpower etc.

And he’s done it without causing days of drama. He’s decisive and rarely makes mistakes. You get the impression he’s absolutely not taking BS from public officials behind the scenes.

But that's all regular running-a-Government stuff.

Erica Stanford though, has done something pretty special - she banned phones in schools.

Now, I have a feeling this is going to sound silly to some people as my reason for picking her as the politician of the year. But that will only be if you don’t realise how distracting and addictive those phones were being in school time and how much they were hurting kids’ grades and social skills and ability to just be kids, like we were.

Remember how we ridiculed her when she did it? Now, you find me a teacher who doesn’t think it’s a wild success.

This is so important that international experts who study the impact of phones on kids say this is one of about four things we must do to help kids out, and she’s done it.

She didn’t have to be begged. She didn’t have to be cajoled. She just did it.

Watch the impact it will have on a generation of kids.

As far as I’m concerned, no politician has made a call this significant for a group this important, all year.

So never mind any of the other stuff she’s done, like the State Abuse Inquiry, for the phone ban alone she’s the MVP of 2024.

LISTEN ABOVE

<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">At this time of year it’s traditional for political commentators to pick their politician of the year.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">And interestingly, the NZ Herald this past weekend went for Simeon Brown.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Now, I think Simeon’s right up there. There’s a reason he’s called Golden Balls. But I don’t think he’s the one.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">I think that honour has got to go to Erica Stanford and it’s not even a competition as far as I’m concerned.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">No disrespect to Simeon Brown, because he is fixing up a bunch of stuff that needs fixing up like speed limits, potholes, Wellington City Council, speed bumps, Transpower etc.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">And he’s done it without causing days of drama. He’s decisive and rarely makes mistakes. You get the impression he’s absolutely not taking BS from public officials behind the scenes.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">But that's all regular running-a-Government stuff.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Erica Stanford though, has done something pretty special - she banned phones in schools.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Now, I have a feeling this is going to sound silly to some people as my reason for picking her as the politician of the year. But that will only be if you don’t realise how distracting and addictive those phones were being in school time and how much they were hurting kids’ grades and social skills and ability to just be kids, like we were.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Remember how we ridiculed her when she did it? Now, you find me a teacher who doesn’t think it’s a wild success.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">This is so important that international experts who study the impact of phones on kids say this is one of about four things we must do to help kids out, and she’s done it.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">She didn’t have to be begged. She didn’t have to be cajoled. She just did it.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Watch the impact it will have on a generation of kids.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">As far as I’m concerned, no politician has made a call this significant for a group this important, all year.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">So never mind any of the other stuff she’s done, like the State Abuse Inquiry, for the phone ban alone she’s the MVP of 2024.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">LISTEN ABOVE

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more.

The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Heather du Plessis-Allan: My politician of the year

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/8c210a10-c77a-4431-af89-b247015e2810/transcript

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