National's Ryan Hamilton

Last week, Education Minister Erica Stanford confirmed the latest additions to draft curriculum changes for English and Maths, with the hope for implementation in 2026.
While she says the changes are not significant to the existing system, teachers have said the draft proposes an entire overhaul and greatly increases workload expectations.

Also, ACT MP Laura McClure has put forward the Deepfake Harm & Exploitation Bill to update legislation around exploitation committed on digital platforms especially with AI.

Finally, after 30 years of MMP, the New Zealand Initiative, a kiwi policy thinktank, has proposed a four year parliamentary term and more MPs for Parliament, among numerous electoral reforms that they think can make New Zealand more effective for representing the population.

Wire Host Sara spoke with MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, starting with the curriculum changes.

Last week, Police Minister Mark Mitchell announced the Cabinet’s decision to amend the Policing Act, to restore the right for police to collect and use images in public spaces. 

This follows a recent Supreme Court case which ruled that an image of a person taken during a traffic stop could not be used against them in an unrelated crime.

Privacy law specialist Gehan Gunasekara says the revision could extend police powers towards a “surveillance state”.

The government has also announced a change of eligibility for the jobseeker benefit to come into effect from next November — which will see 18 and 19 year olds with parents making more than a combined income of $65,529, no longer able to receive payments. 

In the June 2025 quarter, 12.9% of this country’s 15 to 24 year olds were not in jobs, education or training, and despite claims by Prime Minister Chris Luxon, employers and recruitment agencies have said there aren’t enough roles for those seeking.

Finally, on Sunday the government announced their plan to change methane emissions reduction targets in New Zealand, aiming for between 14 and 24% by 2050, compared to 2017 levels, as opposed to the previous target was between 24 and 47%. 

Agriculture and Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says the decision is in alignment with evidence, as well as the practicality for farmers — but the decision goes against the Climate Change Commission recommendations to increase the targets, and has been called a “step back” for our climate targets. 

Wire Host Sara spoke with National MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, starting with the Policing Act amendment. She started by asking about the expected benefits of the change

The government has announced their plan to repeal the Holidays Act in an effort to make the application of leave entitlements for workers easier to calculate — an issue which has been estimated to have resulted in more than $2 billion in remediation payments to workers for miscalculated entitlements. 

But critics including from Labour and the Greens say the changes will see some workers lose protections, especially when their hours defer from the traditional employment arrangement.

Submissions on the Electoral Amendment Bill reveal that many New Zealanders believe the changes will disenfranchise voters and negatively impact democratic participation. 

The proposed changes in the bill include removing the ability to enrol on voting day, banning prisoners from voting, and disallowing the provision of food and drink at election booths.

Over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ announced that New Zealand does not officially recognise Palestinian statehood, going against the decisions of countries like Australia, the UK and Canada.

Peters said that, at this stage, such a decision might legitimise Hamas, but that the government will take a ‘when, not if’ approach to the issue.  

Wire Host Sara spoke with National MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, starting with the Holidays Act

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people rallied in Auckland calling for the government to sanction Israel for their actions and violence in Gaza. 

While politicians across the spectrum have responded to the protests with a mix of support and disapproval, the New Zealand government is not expected to announce their official decision on the recognition of a Palestinian state until a General Assembly in New York next week. 

Following the government’s announcement to get rid of NCEA in favour of a new system, Education Minister Erica Stanford has revealed numerous subjects to join the senior school curriculum, which will include the incorporation of generative AI.

Finally, the New Zealand Herald published information last week pertaining to MP Carl Bates’ failure to disclose 25 properties to Parliament, against what has been argued as a ‘breach of public trust’.

Wire Host Sara spoke with National MP Bates about all of these topics, starting with the pro-Palestine rally.