The Front Page

What we should do with KiwiSaver continues to be a hot topic this election season.
The latest party to throw their idea into the ring is Labour, which wants to lift the employer contribution rate to 6% by 2032.
They would also introduce compulsory employer contributions, even when employees have paused or reduced their own share and extend employer contributions to workers over 65.
Nicola Willis was quick to call the policy a "watered-down" version of National's.
Both New Zealand First and National are proposing compulsory contributions for all workers but have also both announced policies that would automatically enrol babies and children.
Today on The Front Page, Labour's finance spokesperson, Barbara Edmonds is with us to talk us through the plan, and why it's actually different from other parties.
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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's finally here, one of the biggest infrastructure projects New Zealand has ever seen.
After years of construction, disruption, and delays, the City Rail Link is finally a reality, which promises to transform the way people move through the heart of the city.
So, what does this mean for Auckland? How will it change the city? And will it all be worth the wait?
Today, we're on location at Te Waihorotiu station as Auckland marks this major milestone.
We'll be speaking to the Herald's property editor Anne Gibson, who's been reporting on the CRLfor decades, and Transport Minister Chris Bishop, who gets to cut the ribbon.
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It feels like we're constantly being told that our kids are really bad at math.
In 2023, we were informed kids recorded their worst ever results in something called the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams.
It was called "disastrous", "disappointing" -- but, we'd heard it all before.
In 2020 the 13-year-olds recorded their worst-ever results in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or TIMSS ... in 2023, almost 60% of Year 8s were failing maths according to something called the National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement, or NMSSA.
In 2024, data from the Curriculum Insights and Progress Study (CIPS) showed just 22% of Year 8s were at the expected curriculum benchmark for maths.
PISA, TIMSS, NMSSA, CIPS. What are all of these? Are Kiwi kids really that bad at maths? Or, is this just a case of cherry-picking from random data sets to suit a certain narrative?
Today on The Front Page, University of Auckland maths expert Dr Lisa Darragh is with us to try and make sense of all the numbers.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand investment in women-only founding teams has more than tripled in a year, but a huge gender gap remains.
Gender Investment Gap University of Auckland Business School data shows these teams are still receiving less than six cents in every investment dollar, while male teams get 70 cents.
And while there's been more investment in women-led businesses, it starts falling away at later funding stages.
So, why does it all matter?
Today on The Front Page, founder of tech startup Dispute Buddy, Jenny Rudd is with us to discuss.
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About 10,000 public servants are set to strike following prolonged pay negotiations.
While the Public Services Association says members are walking off the job for fair pay and better service delivery, the move has been accused of being politically motivated.
Public Service Minister Paul Goldsmith's pointed out pamphlets that read "change the government"... and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said they should all be at work.
But, the PSA says the workforce is at breaking point, pay is falling further behind the cost of living, and job cuts are now hitting the services New Zealanders rely on.
Today on The Front Page, PSA organiser Duane Leo is with us to explain what members are demanding and why they believe strike action is necessary.
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.