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08 SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 Electionlink Small businesses offered cash grant, employment law changes Venkat Raman Cash grants for creating jobs, repealing sections of the Employment Relations Act, capital injection for investments and reducing tax compliance costs are a part of the business package offered by the National Party for small businesses. Leader Judith Collins said that New Zealanders need a government with the experience, the competence and the vision to rescue the economy, save businesses and protect jobs, launching National Party’s ‘Small Business Plan’ in Wellington on August 27, 2020. Paul Goldsmith and Andrew Bayly, respectively Finance and Small Business spokespersons were among those present at the launch. Empowering growth, success Describing New Zealand’s entrepreneurs as critical to economic recovery, Ms Collins said that National Party will empower small businesses to grow, thrive and succeed. “The only sustainable way to create new jobs is to reduce barriers, costs and uncertainty for the private sector, and in particular small businesses,” she said. There are four main components to the Small Business Plan. These include (a) Encouraging small businesses to invest in new equipment and machinery by allowing them to immediately deduct new capital investments up to $150,000 (b) Encouraging job creation by providing a $10,000 cash grant for new hires with its JobStart policy (c) Repealing changes to the Employment Relations Act (ERA) enforced by the current government (d) Providing up to $30,000 as capital to New Zealanders who have lost their job to invest in a new business idea through National’s ‘BusinessStart’ Package. “New Zealand is facing its worst economic downturn in 160 years. More than 200,000 New Zealanders are now on unemployment benefits and a further 280,000 jobs are being kept alive by wage subsidies,” Ms Collins said. Flexible and productive The Party’s Business Policy said that National believes in a flexible, productive workplace in which workers get a National Party at the risk of failing the test David Hall It is not easy being a political Opposition in the midst of a crisis. The volatility within New Zealand’s National Party, which has had three leaders in as many months, is a case in point. Advantage for Labour Some argue this is circumstantial. The Covid-19 crisis has benefited the incumbent government or, more precisely, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party. Of course, that public support could easily vanish in the event of a mismanaged outbreak, because voters don’t respond to a crisis itself, but to the competency of its handling. Yet the government appears to have won public confidence – and so, for now, the electoral advantage. But there is more going on. Under pressure, the Opposition risks sabotaging itself by failing in its role as Opposition – that is, failing in the duties and responsibilities that accompany this office. Formally, this role is titled “Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.” Her Majesty, of course, refers to Queen Elizabeth II, still officially the Sovereign of New Zealand. The meaning of Opposition is also intuitive to grasp. As the largest party that is not in government, its job is to oppose – to challenge, to test, to needle, to inquire. The Opposition ought to hold the government to account. Opposition is a recent invention This role has not always existed in parliamentary systems; it was a 19th century innovation. But it enriched democracy by guaranteeing a space for dissent, for formal disagreement with the government of the day. It meant that the losers of the political competition would not be turfed into the wilderness, bitter and disenfranchised. Rather, they would remain in the fold, able to contribute to the political process through confrontation, critique and even collaboration. This gets us closer to the odd word ‘loyal.’ It implies that the Opposition should be loyal to the democratic institutions that protect its right to criticise. Judith Collins with her Deputy Gerry Brownlee and other MPs (AAP Picture) It need not take the government line on any issue, but it should be loyal to the rules of the game, precisely so that it can continue playing. Consider, by contrast, the one-party state, where the losers in the political competition are shut out of public decision-making. In such circumstances, loyalty is pointless. The ruling party only wants to expel or silence detractors, to cancel their voice. Consequently, the Opposition has no duty of loyalty, and instead a strong incentive to influence public decisions by seizing power – by coup, revolt or revolution. Constructive Opposition In this we see the distinction that political theorist Chantal Mouffe makes between “antagonistic” and “agonistic” politics. Antagonistic politics are where opposing parties treat each other as enemies, to be vanquished or exiled. With agonistic politics, on the other hand, parties treat each other as noble adversaries, worthy of challenge but also respect. The institution of the loyal Opposition facilitates a constructive agonism. As New Zealand-born political philosopher Jeremy Waldron argues, it instructs the government to assume the loyalty of the Opposition, not treat it as treasonous merely because it voices disagreement. Meanwhile, the Opposition must oppose, but it must do so without burning down the house. Yet the Covid-19 crisis is seriously straining this loyalty. A dangerous game It started out well with New Zealand’s Epidemic Response Committee, a cross-party vehicle of agonistic democracy, where the Opposition could openly hold the government to account, even under a state of emergency. But the subsequent leaking of sensitive information for political fair deal and businesses are productive. “National supports an approach where employees and employers are trusted to work out employment matters themselves in good faith,” the Policy said. Ms Bayly said that New Zealand’s businesses deserve better employment law and incentives for growth, creating new jobs and take people away from unemployment benefits. “Kiwi businesses are struggling under the weight of poor regulation and mounting costs. We will simplify industrial relations legislation to reduce red tape and encourage businesses to create new jobs by repealing the Government’s changes to the Employment Relations Act,” he said. Union objects to ERA repeal National’s plan of removing the 90-day trial period will not be relevant gain by National Party members betrayed a lack of loyalty to government institutions, and to New Zealanders who entrust them with private information. Now, the Opposition is insinuating that the government publicly withheld information about the present outbreak. Given how swiftly this coronavirus spreads, and how much the government has to lose from its spreading, it is not politically rational for the government to cover it up. It is a cynical suggestion, and the Opposition risks that many voters will see it as such. This is a dangerous game. The Opposition is undermining trust at a time when trust is incredibly important. New Zealand’s strong levels of social and institutional trust are a key factor in our relatively successful pandemic response. Its degradation, a loss of trust in official medical advice, for example, or the authority of lockdowns – diminishes the country’s capacity to fend off Covid-19. It further diverts attention away from more credible shortcomings in New Zealand’s pandemic response, such as contact tracing and quarantine protocol. A noble calling And it feeds into the paranoia that crises conjure up. Social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube are revealing themselves as effective engines of conspiracy and indoctrination, with implications we are still coming to understand. The Opposition’s appeals to paranoia only add more fuel to the online inferno. Yet the electoral gains, if there are any, are liable to spill toward minor parties, such as the New Zealand Public Party, which make conspiracies their forte. Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition has a noble function, all the more important in this volatile political moment. Upholding rather than denigrating that office is what will reinvigorate the loyalties of voters. David Hall is Senior Researcher in Politics at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). The above article has been published under Creative Commons Licence. to small businesses since this clause in the Employment Relations Act will be applicable only to larger companies hiring more than 19 persons as full time employees. New Zealand Meat Workers Union said that its members were ‘horrified,’ and described the proposal to repeal the ERA as ‘mean-spirited and backwards.’ The Policy seeks to remove breaks including lunch breaks, the Union said. “Working people have fought long and hard for fair breaks and welcomed the return to scheduled breaks under Labour’s amendments to ERA. National’s proposal to take smoko and lunchtime away from people is absurd and out of touch,” Daryl Carran, the Union’s National Secretary said in a statement. High performance culture Mr Bayly said that if elected to form the next government, National Party will review WorkSafe and improve its performance. “We will deliver a high performance culture, with an emphasis on a collaborative and reasonable approach to health and safety improvement. National will also require all government departments and agencies to pay their contractors on time and within seven days,” he said. Mr Bayly said that cashflow is critical to small businesses but only half of all businesses are cashflow positive at any given time. “When large businesses do not pay their bills on time or in a timely manner, then small businesses with limited working capital are the ones who suffer,” he said. Tax system changes Mr Goldsmith said that his Party in government will introduce changes to the tax system aimed at reducing compliance costs for small businesses. “Our Party has been very clear, we will not be increasing taxes or introducing any new taxes. Businesses need confidence to invest and create more jobs, the last thing New Zealand needs right now is higher taxes,” he said. Mr Goldsmith said that his government will lift the threshold to expense new capital investment from $5000 to $150,000 per asset and increase the provisional tax threshold from $5000 to $25,000 and raise the compulsory GST threshold from $60,000 to $75,000. “We will allow businesses to expense an asset once its depreciated value falls below $3000, as opposed to having to continue to depreciate it until its depreciated tax value equals zero,” he said. Compulsory testing for all travellers promised Border and Covid-19 Management Policy announced Venkat Raman A negative Covid-19 test before arrival, compulsory contract tracing and a teston-demand system are some of the major changes to border control promised by the National Party if elected to power in the ensuing general election on October 17, 2020. Announcing the Border and Covid-19 Management Policy, National Party Leader Judith Collins said that the threat of Covid-19 will linger long and that her Party is committed to safeguarding the health of all New Zealanders. She said that if her Party forms the next government, she will establish the ‘New Zealand Border Protection Agency’ (Te Korowai Whakamaru) to provide comprehensive management. Stringent requirements “We will require all international travellers to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test before arriving in New Zealand. Employees of the Agency, border facility workers and District Health Board staff who treat or test patients will be compelled to use contact tracing technologies,” she said. Attacking the government as disorderly, leading to confused response, Ms Collins described the current system as ‘ad hoc,’ putting the health and livelihoods of five million New Zealanders at risk. “More than 1.6 million Aucklanders are locked down right now because the Government dropped the ball on testing, tracing and managing people in isolation. It is not good enough. The expensive and ineffective systems we have now are not up to scratch. National will manage the border effectively to keep New Zealanders safe,” she said. Covid-Card to be introduced The Party’s Border control policy provides for rapid deployment of Bluetooth applications to enhance contact tracing while also exploring alternative technologies, such as a Covid Card. Striving towards a test-on-demand system with a waiting time target of no longer than 60 minutes for a Covid-19 test. The Party’s Covid-19 Border Response Spokesperson Gerry Brownlee said that the Crown-owned Agency dedicated to defending New Zealand from the virus would be established within National’s first 100 days in Government. “This Agency will be resourced to act as a centre of expertise. It will have the personnel, technology and capability to provide a world-class defence against Covid-19. In the medium-term, technological advancements will improve our ability to test and track the virus. National will immediately invest and seek to rapidly deploy Bluetooth technologies to enhance contract tracing, making these mandatory for border facility workers and District Health Board staff who treat or test patients,” he said. Mr Brownlee said systems should be continuously improved in order that lockdowns are better managed and made more effective. Second line of defence Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti said that his National Party Leader Judith Collins with Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee and Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti (New Zealand Photo by Mark Mitchell) Party recognises the need to prepare a second line of defence, behind our border, to identify, trace and quickly isolate any intrusions. “The first line of defence must be strong border management, but a high-quality contact tracing system is a vital second line. With strong contact tracing systems and a more sophisticated testing and compliance structure we can minimise the impact of further incursions and protect those vulnerable to the disease,” he said. Dr Reti said that National will follow international models and require people coming into the country to not only quarantine but also test themselves for Covid-19 three days before departure, and provide the results of that test to airline staff before boarding their plane. Key features of Policy 1. Establishing Te Korowai Whakamaru/NZ Border Protection Agency to cut through the confused response from Labour. 2. Require people travelling to New Zealand to provide evidence of a negative 3. Covid-19 test before arriving. 4. Deploy compulsory contact tracing technol ogy for Agency workers, workers in border facilities and points of entry, and District Health Board staff treating or testing patients. 5. Ensure new arrivals can be adequately contact traced by requiring compulsory use of contact tracing technology. 6. Immediately invest and seek to rapidly deploy a Bluetooth application to enhance contact tracing capability. 7. Explore alternative contact tracing technol ogies to add more tools to the contact-tracing system (eg: Covid Card). 8. Widen the availability of testing throughout the country, making sure there are readily deployable mobile testing stations in each main population centre as well as any population centre where there is a quarantine facility. 9. Implement a target for test waiting times of no longer than 60 minutes for a test. 10. Require regular testing of aged care workers. 11. Have regular opportunities for testing within retirement homes.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 Decision on grades leaves UK varsities in the lurch Catherine Carroll-Meehan The UK government has performed a U-turn on A level exam grades, awarding students in England the marks given by teacher assessment where they are higher than the moderated grades adjusted by what the government now admits was a flawed algorithm. While this is a source of relief for many students, it leaves many universities facing more uncertainty about student numbers and their financial future, with ramifications that may last for years. On the morning of Thursday, August 13, many students, in many cases from disadvantaged backgrounds, woke up to find results that did not reflect their mock exam results or grades predicted by their teachers. Students disadvantaged The algorithm developed by Ofqual to prevent grade inflation as a result of teacher-awarded marks resulted in nearly 40% of marks being lowered. For some students, this meant that they had failed to meet the entry requirements for their preferred university course. As soon as the A level results were out, universities opened phone lines for the clearing process, as they do every year, offering remaining places on under-subscribed courses to students who missed out due to lower than expected grades. Thousands of disappointed students began to contact universities, hoping to salvage their dreams of higher education. Universities responded to students’ clearing ap- Altered results may mean students will look to attend their first-choice university. SpeedKingz (Shutterstock) plications by looking at individual profiles, awarded marks, predicted grades and personal statements to make a judgement about offers. Universities are keen to make offers to students that match their aspirations, as well as using their academic achievements as a guide for engagement and success with their studies. The Scotland Example Then, on Monday, August 17, after a weekend of pressure, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that England would follow the example of Scotland and award grades based on teacher assessment. Northern Ireland and Wales also made the same move on August 17. But the university places that were decided in the five days before this reverse, when the government declared that there would be no U-turn in England, have now been thrown into doubt. Challenges for universities Universities are already suffering the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Across the higher education sector, universities have been bracing for the expected reduction of international students. An over-reliance on international students to balance budgets has left some gaping holes. In the past six months, there have been warnings that the financial viability of some universities is at risk. Some institutions have taken extreme measures, such as largescale redundancies, to avoid going bankrupt. ‘Demographic Dip’ At the same time, the sector in the UK was preparing itself for the lowest point of what is known as the “demographic dip.” The population of 18 year-olds has been decreasing since 2017 and 2020 is predicted as the lowest point before a predicted Clearing allows students another route into university. BonNontawat (Shutterstock) increase in 2021 and again in 2022. The population of 18 year-olds is expected to steadily increase until 2030. Now, the U-turn on A level results has created unprecedented uncertainty. The late decision, five days into the clearing process, has meant that offers that were confirmed following results day may now be overturned. Disappointed students accepted places, selected accommodation and had begun to adjust to their choice at universities that may not have been their first preference. They now have the option to revisit their first choice. The dilemma Universities do not know what impact this will have. Many top-tier universities are fully subscribed and students are being told that their offer will be honoured, but not until 2021. This presents a challenge Educationlink 09 to offer holders: whether to accept a place at an institution that wasn’t their first choice, so that they can start university now, or wait 12 months with limited employment prospects and no gap-year travel. Some students may even elect to take exams in the autumn rather than taking the teacher-assessed grades they have been given, looking to win entry to their first-choice university in 2021. Winners and losers There will be some winners and losers in the A level debacle. The Department of Education has opted to remove student number caps, introduced by the government during the coronavirus pandemic to stop universities making unconditional offers and to ensure a fair distribution of students across the sector. This means that some universities will be able to over-recruit, and others will lose students to more “prestigious” institutions. This may result in smaller student cohorts at some universities and non-viable numbers for some courses, putting jobs at risk. For some universities this may be catastrophic. The UK government needs to ensure that universities are funded appropriately at this time to ensure their continued financial viability – especially for those in towns and cities where the presence of a university is a way to support social mobility and aspiration for the whole community. Catherine Carroll-Meehan is Head of School of Education and Sociology (ED- SOC) at the University of Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The above article and pictures have been published under Creative Commons Licence. SECURE YOUR IT FUTURE The workplace is changing and new skills are needed. There’s still time to study IT in 2020 with our final October intake. · Gain general IT skills with a certificate or diploma qualification; or · Choose a bachelor or one of our graduate diploma options to further develop your skills; or · Advance your career with a postgraduate or masters qualification in data analytics or cyber security. Come join us, where the best makers are made. MKT245_5g9 Start in October. Apply now | manukau.ac.nz/digitaltechnologies
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