Building better pathways for vocational education in New Zealand
In this episode, Michael Johnston interviews Katherine Hall, Executive Director of ConCOVE (Construction and Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence), about the challenges facing vocational education and apprenticeships in New Zealand. They discuss systemic issues including poor completion rates, funding problems, and cultural stigma compared to university pathways, along with potential solutions inspired by Germany's dual training system.
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36:37
Transforming maths education in New Zealand with Professor Barbara Oakley
In this episode, Michael talks to Professor Barbara Oakley, a McGraw Prize recipient, New York Times bestselling author and creater of the world's largest Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) with over 5 million students.
They discuss evidence-based approaches to mathematics education and the problems with constructivist teaching methods, while outlining their mission to support New Zealand's new knowledge-rich curriculum through workshops for teachers across the country.
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36:34
Rural council challenges in scattered communities
In this episode, Eric talks to Patrick Phelps, Manager at Minerals West Coast, about the complex challenges of rural council governance including infrastructure costs, heritage regulations, and voter apathy. They discuss how small towns struggle with funding vital services across widely dispersed communities while managing political incentives that often lead to misplaced priorities and wasteful spending.
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38:05
Trade Routes: Charting New Pathways from Secondary School to Industry Training
In this episode, Oliver Hartwich interviews Michael about his new research report "Trade Routes," which examines how New Zealand can improve its apprenticeship system by adopting elements of Germany's dual education model.
They discuss the stark contrast between Germany's highly respected apprenticeship system (with 50% participation) and New Zealand's underdeveloped approach (with just 6% participation), along with Michael's practical recommendations for creating clearer pathways from secondary school to industry training.
Read Michael's report "Trade Routes: Charting New Pathways from Secondary School to Industry Training" on The New Zealand Initiative website at www.nzinitiative.org.nz
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24:24
Former Australian Home Affairs Secretary calls for integrated ANZAC defence force
In this episode, Oliver Hartwich and former Australian Department of Home Affairs Secretary Michael Pezzullo discuss growing regional security threats, with Pezzullo warning of a 10-20% chance of conflict with China while advocating for an integrated ANZAC military force.
Pezzullo argues that New Zealand should reconsider its anti-nuclear stance to join AUKUS as a full partner, increase its defence spending beyond the current 1.2% of GDP, and recognise that "if Australia goes down, New Zealand is next" - emphasising that both countries need a unified approach to territorial defence in an increasingly unstable Indo-Pacific region.
New Zealand