Otago mayors are heading back to the drawing board after National's change of heart over a bed tax.  

The Central Otago, Queenstown Lakes, and Otago Regional councils were on the cusp of signing a deal delivering critical initiatives – including exploring a bed tax. 

It's now off the table after the Government proposed replacing the bed tax, raising questions about its long-term plans. 

Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley told Mike Hosking they're pretty gutted the deal they thought was good to go has been halted, but they're pretty confident there will still be a deal. 

She says they just have to be really clear on what their responsibilities and obligations would be under a new deal when they get to the point of signing something.  

LISTEN ABOVE  

Otago mayors are heading back to the drawing board after National's change of heart over a bed tax. &nbsp;
The Central Otago, Queenstown Lakes, and Otago Regional councils were on the cusp of signing a deal delivering critical initiatives – including exploring a bed tax.&nbsp;
It's now off the table after the Government proposed replacing the bed tax, raising questions about its long-term plans.&nbsp;
Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley told Mike Hosking they're pretty gutted the deal they thought was good to go has been halted, but they're pretty confident there will still be a deal.&nbsp;
She says they just have to be really clear on what their responsibilities and obligations would be under a new deal when they get to the point of signing something. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

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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,...

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Tamah Alley: Central Otago Mayor on the regional deal hitting a road block after National u-turned on a bed tax

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/cb58894e-7ec7-414c-a08c-b4b3015ab36e/transcript

Renewables have hit a record high, but the Associate Energy Minister says New Zealand still can't quit coal and gas. 

A new MBIE report shows renewables supplied 92% of electricity in the June quarter, with record geothermal generation and solar up 56%. 

Wholesale electricity prices also fell 66% compared with the same quarter last year. 

Shane Jones told Mike Hosking New Zealand needs coal and gas because there's not enough water in lakes or battery storage to guarantee supply. 

He's tired of people who think you can have these green accoutrements without a backup and won't support a model where New Zealand imports everything from overseas. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

Renewables have hit a record high, but the Associate Energy Minister says New Zealand still can't quit coal and gas.&nbsp;
A new MBIE report shows renewables supplied 92% of electricity in the June quarter, with record geothermal generation and solar up 56%.&nbsp;
Wholesale electricity prices also fell 66% compared with the same quarter last year.&nbsp;
Shane Jones told Mike Hosking New Zealand needs coal and gas because there's not enough water in lakes or battery storage to guarantee supply.&nbsp;
He's tired of people who think you can have these green accoutrements without a backup and won't support a model where New Zealand imports everything from overseas.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Shane Jones: Associate Energy Minister reaffirms importance of gas, coal as renewable generation hits record high

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/76c0d025-379d-4a43-8aaf-b4c10155400d/transcript

The Social Development Minister's apologising it took so long for the Government to figure out thousands of benefits had been accidentally cut. 

Around 30 thousand benefit and winter energy payments were stopped after an error caused by legislation rushed through Parliament under urgency last year.  

Minister Louise Upston doesn't accept the legislation was rushed. 

A review reveals issues were raised as early as April but only seriously addressed in August. 

Upston told Mike Hosking individual cases were being raised, but no one was putting it together and escalating it. 

She says the day she and senior leaders were told, it took 48 hours before all of the winter energy payments had been repaid. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

The Social Development Minister's apologising it took so long for the Government to figure out thousands of benefits had been accidentally cut.&nbsp;
Around 30 thousand benefit and winter energy payments were stopped after an error caused by legislation rushed through Parliament under urgency last year. &nbsp;
Minister Louise Upston doesn't accept the legislation was rushed.&nbsp;
A review reveals issues were raised as early as April but only seriously addressed in August.&nbsp;
Upston told Mike Hosking individual cases were being raised, but no one was putting it together and escalating it.&nbsp;
She says the day she and senior leaders were told, it took 48 hours before all of the winter energy payments had been repaid.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Louise Upston: Social Development and Employment Minister on the thousands of benefits that were accidently cut

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/cfe5823e-1d77-4021-b23f-b4c1014fe407/transcript

As big of a fan as I am of good news, something wasn’t right in the latest PISA report. 

Like all reports, you can look at stats in any number of ways. 

For example, if you want to feel good about yourself have a look at the Australian results. They're not good. 

So for a bit of Trans-Tasman rivalry, their numbers will give you no end of good vibes. 

The socio-economic gap the Government talked up seems real, so that’s indisputably good. 

But I have two major worries: 

We look good because essentially, we went nowhere, and we went nowhere against an OECD that went backwards. Standing knee-deep while others drown doesn’t seem to me to be a thing. 

I mean you'll take it. But I would've thought that comparing yourself to the ordinary is not quite as fulfilling as actually moving forward. 

But the really big one is the OECD going backwards, and the 'why'. 

I surmise the 'why' is the death of critical thinking. Kids no longer think for themselves and it's only going to get worse. 

The reports raise issues around disruptive classrooms, the old screen-time issue, and of course the fact that kids don’t read. 

This is global. We have multiple generations of non-readers and reading is the key to everything. 

Mix the lack of reading with AI, which will answer whatever you want, and basically, we are headed for intellectual oblivion. 

Like the calculator before it, technological advance is efficient and gets you the answer. But the link to critical thinking is "do you know the answer is right"? 

Of course you don’t and you don’t care either. 

No one asks questions No one is inquiring. The rise of gormlessness is frightening. 

It's there in the PISA reports – our kids are going backwards. Not reading, not adding and not firing up the ol' brains. 

In the intellectual swamp that is global education, we aren't too bad. So instead of worrying about that, we decide to pretend it’s a good news story. 

But being okay, or average, in a world of the hopeless isn't what I call achieving. 

As big of a fan as I am of good news, something wasn’t right in the latest PISA report.&nbsp;
Like all reports, you can look at stats in any number of ways.&nbsp;
For example, if you want to feel good about yourself have a look at the Australian results. They're not good.&nbsp;
So for a bit of Trans-Tasman rivalry, their numbers will give you no end of good vibes.&nbsp;
The socio-economic gap the Government talked up seems real, so that’s indisputably good.&nbsp;
But I have two major worries:&nbsp;
We look good because essentially, we went nowhere, and we went nowhere against an OECD that went backwards. Standing knee-deep while others drown doesn’t seem to me to be a thing.&nbsp;
I mean you'll take it. But I would've thought that comparing yourself to the ordinary is not quite as fulfilling as actually moving forward.&nbsp;
But the really big one is the OECD going backwards, and the 'why'.&nbsp;
I surmise the 'why' is the death of critical thinking. Kids no longer think for themselves and it's only going to get worse.&nbsp;
The reports raise issues around disruptive classrooms, the old screen-time issue, and of course the fact that kids don’t read.&nbsp;
This is global. We have multiple generations of non-readers and reading is the key to everything.&nbsp;
Mix the lack of reading with AI, which will answer whatever you want, and basically, we are headed for intellectual oblivion.&nbsp;
Like the calculator before it, technological advance is efficient and gets you the answer. But the link to critical thinking is "do you know the answer is right"?&nbsp;
Of course you don’t and you don’t care either.&nbsp;
No one asks questions No one is inquiring. The rise of gormlessness is frightening.&nbsp;
It's there in the PISA reports – our kids are going backwards. Not reading, not adding and not firing up the ol' brains.&nbsp;
In the intellectual swamp that is global education, we aren't too bad. So instead of worrying about that, we decide to pretend it’s a good news story.&nbsp;
But being okay, or average, in a world of the hopeless isn't what I call achieving.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: A deeper dive into the PISA numbers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b23bf0d9-9aef-49c0-8ae9-b4c001808997/transcript

Tamah Alley: Central Otago Mayor on the regional deal hitting a road block after National u-turned on a bed tax

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