Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Radio New Zealand

Teacher subject associations held an unprecedented joint meeting this week after being offered contracts worth more than $100,000 a year – but only if they agree to support the new school curriculum.

Sources told RNZ some association members viewed the contracts as an attempt to bribe and gag them after months of criticism of the process for developing the new curriculum and of its content.

But the Education Ministry insisted that was not the case and associations would be free to comment publicly about the curriculum if they signed the contracts.

It said it offered contracts to 42 associations to act as “Networks of Expertise” and help teachers introduce the new curriculum for Years 11-13.

The contracts included a new clause requiring associations to “commit to supporting the direction and intent of the updated curriculum and qualification structure”.

“This is not a gag order. Associations can still share their views and raise concerns publicly,” the ministry told RNZ.

It said the new clause meant funded work should align with the goals of the refreshed curriculum, such as clarity, coherence, and equity.

“The change makes sure teachers receive resources that reflect the curriculum they are expected to teach,” it said.

RNZ understands some associations felt they had little choice but to accept the contracts because refusing would end funding used to employ teachers in advisory roles.

The members of some associations were also unhappy they were being asked to support curriculums they had not yet seen and had not even been written.

One said subject associations were being kept from the decision-making table and flicked a few crumbs.

Another said the process was “seriously rushed and flawed”, noting that associations had been asked to sign the contracts by Monday next week.

The Education Ministry said it was aware of discussion on social media and wanted “to be clear about the facts”.

Meanwhile, the Association for the Teaching of English (NZATE) this week published an open letter warning that teachers were not getting enough support to introduce the new Year 0-10 English curriculum next year.

It also warned that most of its members did not believe they could teach all the content required by the curriculum each year.

“The process for curriculum development and implementation remains deeply flawed and lacks the transparency and clarity needed for the empowerment of those entrusted with its execution,” the letter said.

“Kaiako have had no time to fully grasp the current curriculum documentation, which remains overly complex and extensive, outlining numerous Knowledge and Practices that are expected to be delivered over the course of the year.”

The letter said teachers did not have enough support to introduce the curriculum and schools needed funding to buy texts to go with it.

“NZATE was assured in numerous meetings with the Ministry of Education’s curriculum writing group that resources to support kaiako with implementation would be readily available. As of 10 November, these resources are still nonexistent. Furthermore, no extra funding has yet been provided for secondary schools to purchase the extra texts needed to support the new curriculum,” it said.

“The process has been appalling for over 18 months, and nothing has changed.”

The Education Ministry told RNZ more resources for the curriculum would be available next year, with a focus on Year 9 students.

“This includes planning resources and learning kits consisting of unit and lesson plans. A forward view of the learning area resources, curriculum supports, and professional learning opportunities is available on the ministry’s website,” it said.

It said it was offering two webinars before the end of the year and professional learning was already available for teachers of Y7-8 with “specific support for the English learning area for teachers of Years 9-10 rolling out in Term 1 next year” and more offered over time.

“We understand that schools will be at different stages of readiness. There is no expectation of perfection on day one. Change takes time, and we’ll continue working with the sector to make sure everyone has what they need to make a confident start,” the ministry said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Just as the heat from a startling clash between a firefighter and the deputy prime minister was abating, Fire and Emergency has launched the biggest restructure in its eight-year existence, propelled, it says, by uncertain funding and the ravages of climate change.

RNZ has obtained a 266-page change proposal in which Fire and Emergency (FENZ) expresses sympathy and support for the at least 140 people slated to lose their jobs. Unions say the proposal poses many risks and will decimate the agency most relied on for first response in emergencies.

The changes were not personal, said chief executive Kerry Gregory at the start of the hefty document that workers had two weeks to make feedback on, a short period unions had asked to be extended.

“I know for some of you, the changes we are proposing may feel personal and disrespectful towards the amazing effort you put in. They are not,” he wrote.

Paid firefighters escaped the proposed cuts, as did 111-call handlers, but they said they would lose support people the community relied on.

The scrapping of the five-region structure had the Fire Emergency Commanders Association (FECA) questioning who would do the regions’ work, and cuts to risk reduction teams left the Professional Firefighters’ Union (NZPFU) expressing surprise.

“What they do is core work,” national PFU vice president Martin Campbell told RNZ.

Des Irving, secretary of FECA, said, “Our concern would be the workload that regions did – where is that going to? And resourcing.”

The restructure proposes the existing 17 fire districts remain but organised in a different way.

Gregory said the changes, that would “touch” about 700 roles in some way, were carefully thought out and an essential adaptation to a rapidly changing operating environment – which they were open to alter in December after feedback.

“They are in no way a reflection of your ability or commitment at an individual level,” he said in the change proposal document given to staff on Wednesday afternoon.

“Every proposed change in this document is intended to ensure Fire and Emergency remains adaptable and sustainable for the communities we serve, now, and in the years ahead.”

The uncertainties around revenue were unprecedented for the agency set up in 2017 by merging rural and urban fire services. FENZ had almost $800 million in levies revenue in 2024-25 (up from under $400m in 2017 at its advent), and about $40m from other sources.

The insurance industry argued it should be funded from government through taxation, just like police; otherwise, property owners were hardest hit.

“The amount of change proposed is significant,” said Gregory.

“‘Changes in climate are changing what we are responding to, and technological advancements are informing the ways we respond.”

Earlier FENZ told RNZ, which revealed the coming restructure last week, that it would not cut frontline jobs or the range of what it responds to, including no pull back from its “additional” duties as laid down in law that included flood rescue and responding to medical emergencies and traffic accidents.

“The reality of our rapidly evolving operating environment, the variability of our levy revenue and the need have space [sic] to reinvest, reinforces the need for us to make smart, disciplined choices,” Gregory said.

The PSA’s national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons urged the government to step in to stop what she called the “decimation” of FENZ.

She put the proposed cuts at 169 roles – the calculations are a little complex around disestablished roles versus newly established roles – and said that amounted to 13 percent of non-firefighter jobs, more than twice as big as the six percent or so cuts applied across large parts of the public service recently.

It was far ahead of the cuts of civilian jobs at Defence, for instance, she told RNZ.

“FENZ is telling its workers to do more with less, which will impact FENZ’s ability to deal with emergencies and prevent future emergencies.”

The change document said it was about streamlining an overly complex set-up that diverted resources from the front line.

“Decision-making shifts to those delivering services, enabling faster, clearer responses, empowerment and accountability.”

This was achieved in part by “removing the regional layer”; FENZ has five regions currently. But while it talked about “empowering” the existing 17 districts, it also said a more standardised approach would be secured “through a centralised capability”.

Firefighters spoken to by RNZ said they feared the agency would become more, not less, top heavy with national headquarters in Wellington assuming more power.

Annual reports in recent years showed firefighters mostly hitting their targets for getting to emergencies, such as within eight minutes in cities.

FENZ has about 1800 paid firefighters, 12,000 volunteers and 1200 corporate and support staff.

It proposed to separate out the training of volunteers from paid fire crews, to “improve consistency”.

A technical lead for volunteers would be set up, and an operations hub.

Irving said it was up to FECA to help bring in the changes, though questions remained.

“But I stress the timelines are really tight. If they want quality feedback, we have already asked for longer,” Irving told RNZ.

He counted about 20 FECA members’ roles impacted, with about half of those disestablished. It was not clear if those had pathways to stay on at FENZ, Irving said.

The PSA counted over 40 roles to go in both ‘Operational Response’ and risk reduction.

Campbell said risk reduction was about stopping fires before they started, with the teams checking on buildings’ evacuation schemes and ensuring they were maintained.

Risk reduction personnel were key to raising the alarm about dodgy fire protection and practices after fires at some motels used for emergency accommodation in the Bay of Plenty two years ago.

The change proposal argued it was taking “a prevention first approach” under a proposed Fire Safety directorate, to “realign team and reporting lines and consolidate community risk, fire safety, regulatory activities, and training delivery and development to provide greater accountability and consistency”.

The existing service delivery wildfire manager role and the risk reductions and investigations manager role would go, and a manager fire safety would come in.

The PSA said FENZ wanted to cut four wildfire jobs just as the smoke was clearing from the big blaze at Tongariro National Park.

RNZ revealed on Wednesday FENZ is in a pay dispute with three of its leading experts in fighting wildfires from the air, who withdrew from any after-hours work well prior to Tongariro. FENZ said it made no difference to putting out that fire.

The breakdowns of fire engines earlier prompted Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour to downplay them and accuse the NZPFU of playing them up during its ongoing industrial dispute over pay and conditions with FENZ, prompting senior firefighter Steven Devine to tell Morning Report that Seymour had bad information and challenge him to meet him at any fire station. Union members have affixed “Dire Emergency” signs to the front of many trucks. Later, Seymour said more upgrades were needed.

FENZ said it had added scores of trucks since 2017. The largest number of those are utes.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ understands MPs Oriini Kaipara, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, Tākuta Ferris and a representative for Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke met without their party co-leaders.

It comes on the day the party was due to meet with the Iwi Chairs Forum in the aftermath of the National Council decision to expel Kapa-Kingi and Ferris.

Kaipara and Maipi-Clarke have not yet spoken publicly about the decision, but both have posted to social media since it was reported.

Kaipara, who posted on social media her support of Kapa-Kingi late last month, made a post directed at her electorate Tāmaki Makaurau.

“I am still here,” she wrote.

“Standing by you, for you and with you. The fight will continue, but for now rest is required.

“I won’t be long, I want us to come together, to meet, to talk. Very soon.”

Similarly, Maipi-Clarke wrote on social media, “Waikato, Kia mau.”

“I’ve made the decision for our rohe of Hauraki-Waikato to hold the line.”

She said she would speak in a week’s time, but for now, “remain calm, and have grace.”

“No one owns this movement, it belongs to the people.”

Asked about the meeting at Parliament on Wednesday afternoon, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said they were entitled to meet with “whoever they want to meet with”.

“We have every confidence in what the National Council has decided, and what they do for them is what they do for them,” she said.

Ngarewa-Packer said the leaders still had support from Kaipara and Maipi-Clarke.

Rawiri Waititi referenced the social media posts, saying “they have put out that they are holding the line”.

“And that line is to ensure that this is a one term government and we look forward to seeing them next week.”

A post shared on Kapa-Kingi’s social media on Wednesday evening said Kohewhata Marae’s chair, Mane Tahere, had written directly to the party’s national executive “expressing disappointment regarding the approach and unconstitutional removal” of the MP.

Ngāpuhi would facilitate a discussion with the executive at the marae on 23 November, the post said, to affirm “Te Tai Tokerau will speak for Te Taitokerau”.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Charter School Agency signed a charter school contract with a trust that did not exist.

In October, Associate Education Minister David Seymour posted a notice in the New Zealand Gazette that the agency had entered a contract with the “NZPAA Charitable Trust” to set up the New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa as a charter school.

But no such trust or trust with a variation of that name existed or exists in the Charities Register.

The secondary school is to be established in Trentham next year with a focus on young athletes in Years 11-13.

It would be based at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport, which hosts organisations including the Wellington Phoenix Football Club and the Wellington Hurricanes rugby team.

Charter school opponent John O’Neill from the Aotearoa Educators Collective spotted the problem.

He said he investigated the school’s sponsor – the organisation that owns and sets up a charter school – because he did not understand why public money should be spent on a specialist school for sports.

He said it was only after he began asking questions that a limited company, the New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa, ultimately owned by Welnix the owners of the Wellington Phoenix, was registered. That happened last week on 6 November.

O’Neill told RNZ he was surprised the charter school agency signed a contract with a non-existent organisation.

“I started asking myself, how on earth could this have happened given the great attention given to due diligence processes that are supposed to surround these applications and consideration and approval of applications to be a charter school,” he said.

O’Neill said he wanted to know how two parties could have entered into a contract when one of them didn’t exist and how could the Charter School Authorisation Board have recommended approval of the application.

In a written response to RNZ, the agency said:

“The Charter School Agency received an application from a proposed sponsor seeking approval to operate a new charter school.

“During the application and contracting process, the proposed sponsor indicated it would establish a separate entity to contract with the agency. This resulted in a complication around the name used in the contract. We are working with the sponsor to resolve this. This is not expected to impact on plans for the school to open in February next year.”

Asked if the contract with the non-existent trust was valid the agency said in a statement: “The Charter School Agency is seeking advice on the existing contract. It is unable to comment until this advice has been received.”

Wellington Phonenix general manager David Dome told RNZ he could not go into whether the contract was valid.

“I’m not comfortable talking about that because there’s sort of legal issues there now,” he said.

Nor would he talk about why the agency thought it was signing a contract with a trust.

“During the the contracting process we were always going to set up a separate contracting or business structure to run the school and we’re doing that with the agency now,” he said.

However, he said the issue would have no effect on work to set the school up and nor would setting the school up with a limited company rather than a trust as the sponsor.

He said he fully expected the school would be operational by February next year.

Dome said he expected the school would start with 100 students.

“The kids in the Phoenix Academy would obviously have some interest in it, but it’s really open to any student who wants to pursue an education that has a sports inclination. It’s open to anybody,” he said.

He said the school would offer more than just a physical education-heavy curriculum.

“It’s not just PE. It is everything to do around sports and sports development. So there will be mental skills, sports preparation, life after sports, nutrition, strength and conditioning. So there’s a whole lot to it,” he said.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour did not explain what action he had taken over the matter or whether it had affected his confidence in the agency.

Instead, he said in a statement that he understood “there was a complication with a changing name which the sponsor and the agency are working together to resolve”.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand