Recent Ministry of Education publications bring mātauranga Māori concepts into the school curriculum. While concepts like mauri, a Māori term meaning “vital essence” or “life force”, may have something to offer science as a reflection of ecosystem health or the “life-supporting capacity” of rivers, any interpretation that equated mauri with chemical properties, or as “the binding force between the physical and the spiritual”, had no place in the chemistry curriculum and proposals to incorporate traditional knowledge in science curricula need a lot more reflection, with nobody excluded from the conversation.

In this week’s podcast James Kierstead talks with Paul Kilmartin (Ngāi Tahu), Professor of Chemistry in the School of Chemical Sciences at the University of Auckland, about mātauranga Māori, science and the school curriculum.

To read the article referred to in the podcast click here: https://nzic.org.nz/unsecure_files/cinz/2022-86-4.pdf

Podcast: Mātauranga Māori & Science

In this episode, Eric talks to Danyl Mclauchlan, one of NZ's top political writers who is often featured in The New Zealand Listener and on Substack. 

He has written recently on turmoil in Wellington's pipe network and writes more broadly on the state of politics and the state of the polity. They have a wide-ranging chat about all of this as well as housing and heritage.

www.nzinitiative.org.nz

What's going on with Wellington?

Oliver and Matthew discuss NZ's infrastructure deficit, delivery and management which was the subject of Matthew's last column in the NZ Herald "Deficit obsession ignores abysmal state of Kiwi infrastructure delivery". 

You can read Matthew's article here: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/deficit-obsession-ignores-abysmal-state-of-kiwi-infrastructure-delivery

New Zealand's infrastructure deficit

In this episode, Oliver has a conversation with a special guest Viktor Vavricka, the Swiss ambassador to New Zealand. They have a wide-ranging discussion about localism from a Swiss perspective.

Localism: A Swiss perspective

In this episode, Oliver talks to our new Senior Fellow, Economics and Advocacy, Nick Clark. This week he has released a new policy point called "Fast-Track Approvals Bill" which they talk about in this episode. They also talk about what Nick is looking forward to working on.

To read Nick's policy point visit our website: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/policy-point-fast-track-approvals-bill/

Fast-Track Approvals Bill

New Zealanders have been spending a lot more overseas than we have been earning overseas, yet our balance does not move in the same direction nearly as much.

Oliver talks to Bryce about his latest research note "The mystery of the $52 billion gift: Does New Zealand have a fairy godmother?".

To read his research note, find it on our website https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz

New Zealand's fairy godmother

Research Fellow Max Salmon discusses his new report 'Cabinet Congestion' with Executive Director Dr Oliver Hartwich. Max explains how complicated political decision-making is in New Zealand's political system - and how it could be better.

New Zealand's a-maze-ing government structure

In this episode, Michael talks to Holly Gooch and Izzy Bremner, from The Hyphen Project, about what it might be like for people who are perhaps not considered the "norm" in our large school system.

They talk about The Hyphen Project, which is a talent incubator for 16-19 year olds who are talented, neurodivergent and have not gotten on well with the mainstream education system.

For more information on The Hyphen Project, please visit www.thehyphenproject.org

For more information about The New Zealand Initiative, please visit www.nzinitiative.org.nz

Education for neurodivergent students

In this episode, Eric and Nick talk to Peter Nunns and Graham Campbell from New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga. They discuss council debt and infrastructure funding and financing.

Are councils debt constrained?

Oliver and Michael talk about Germany's dual education system with Rachel Simpson, Manager for Education, Skills and Immigration at Business NZ.

Recently, Michael and Rachel were on a business delegation to Germany to find out about their dual education system first-hand.

In this episode, they discuss what this system looks like in Germany, what makes it successful and what might be stopping us from doing it here in NZ.

Podcast: Mātauranga Māori & Science

The New Zealand Initiative

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