Oliver Hartwich: NZ Initiative Executive Director on ACT's policy manifesto

There's potential for National and Labour to find common ground on education, despite disagreement over curriculum reforms. National's Erica Stanford told Ryan Bridge she tried to engage Labour while NCEA changes were being drafted, but to no avail. She says a recent meeting with Ginny Andersen revealed plenty they agree on —like the structured literacy mandate— but Labour still doesn't like the twice-yearly assessments or an hour of reading, writing, and maths each day. Andersen says learning support is one area where the parties could work together. She says there's an increasing number of children needing extra support, and it's one of the sector's biggest challenges going forward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Odds are on we'll get another hike to the OCR tomorrow. That'll take us to 3%. Markets are pricing the chance of that hike happening at about 85%. It's not great timing for a Coalition government trying to get elected when cost of living is the number one issue. But that's obviously not something the Reserve Bank should or would care about. Their job is inflation. All signs point north on that front. It's expected to be higher than the bank predicted in September, their last update. Our dollar is weaker compared to our trading partners which means stuff we buy from offshore costs us more. Throw into the mix the fact oil is also higher and that Trump is planning to re-start bombing in Iran post-midterms, and you can see why the pundits are picking another hike. 3% is still roughly neutral so you can argue, if they do hike, the bank is being cautious without clubbing the economic recovery in the back of the neck right when its kicking into gear. It's yet another reminder that the outcome of the US midterms are weirdly probably, or at least possibly, more important to New Zealand voters' wallets than the outcome of the one happening here at home. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2026, Education Minister Erica Stanford and Labour's Education spokesperson Ginny Anderson join Ryan for an election special discussing schools, children and education policy. Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce has the latest on the forthcoming budget in the UK and what it means for capital markets and the controversial approval in UK of the new gas field. ACT wants to slash government spending to help fund health, NZ Initiative Executive Director Oliver Hartwich shares his thoughts on if this is the right approach. Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on the first day of Parliament since Helen Haines attack and no apology from the maker of One Nation’s controversial cartoons. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's biggest pop culture extravaganza Armageddon starts in Auckland today. Around 50 thousand sci-fi, anime, fantasy, and gaming fans are expected to flock to Auckland Showgrounds this weekend. It's filled with more than 400 exhibitors, including a reunion of the Supernatural cast, a High School Musical sing-along panel, and international guests like Highlander star Christopher Lambert. Organiser Bill Geradts told Francesca Rudkin they're not feeling the pinch from the cost of living crisis in the same way festivals and retail are. He says last year's October show was one of their best, and this year's tracking to be about the same. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Education Minister Erica Stanford’s education overhaul has been impressive this government term. We’re seeing improvements in primary school student achievement, the NCEA qualification is not long for this world, and how good is it to have cellphones out of the classroom? But for all the changes, there are families who feel the system simply doesn’t work for their child, whose needs, interests or circumstances may not fit comfortably within a conventional classroom. Yet when someone suggests trying something different, we can become remarkably attached to doing the same thing and hoping for a different result. That is why charter schools deserve a fair hearing. ACT has made school choice and educational innovation central to its education agenda for the 2026 general election. It has set a target of 10,000 charter school enrolments by 2029, and a goal of a charter school option in every major town. As the parent of a child with a brilliant, complex, neurodivergent mind who loves to learn but struggled with the mainstream school environment, this is music to my ears. In order for our child to complete her education, we went down an alternative route. No one was more surprised than we were. It was hugely expensive and prohibitive for most, but it was brilliant. Our child, who was falling out of school, is now doing a science degree at university. Charter schools will hopefully give more families struggling with children in similar situations the same opportunity. It is life-changing. For a young person who has all but given up on education, it could be the beginning of a future that might otherwise have quietly disappeared. Labour leader Chris Hipkins opposes charter schools. "We should give all of our schools the tools they need to cater for all of the kids who come through the gate," Hipkins said yesterday. It is an admirable ambition. But is it the reality? Teachers regularly describe classrooms stretched by complex learning needs, behavioural challenges and inadequate support. Expecting one teacher to meet every need in a crowded classroom is a little like asking a Swiss Army knife to perform open-heart surgery. Most mainstream schools do wonderful work. But not every child learns the same way, responds to the same environment or thrives under the same structure. A practical, culturally grounded or more flexible approach can be the difference between disengagement and achievement. There are legitimate concerns about charter schools. Public money must be protected, teaching quality maintained, and private operators prevented from putting profit ahead of pupils. Independence must never mean a free pass. Transparent reporting, financial audits, measurable achievement targets and the power to terminate contracts are essential safeguards. But if those checks and balances are enforced, why should every school have to follow precisely the same model? Charter schools are not a replacement for mainstream education. They are another tool in the kit. New Zealand’s children are not all the same, so why insist their education must be? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.