TENA TATOU KATOA, I'M REBECCA WRIGHT. AND I'M SIMON SHEPHERD. E NGA IWI O TE MOTU, NAU MAI KI NEWSHUB NATION. ON THE PROGRAMME TODAY, 'CAN THEY DO THIS'? CAMPAIGN CHAIR MEGAN WOODS DEFENDS LABOUR'S ELECTION-YEAR ENERGY. IT'S A BIG DAY FOR WINSTON PETERS. HE'S RALLYING THE TROOPS WITH HIS ELECTION YEAR SPEECH ` WE'LL CROSS LIVE TO THE NEW ZEALAND FIRST PARTY CONVENTION. THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL BLAMES SOCIAL MEDIA FOR A YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. BUT ARE WE GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? AND LAWYER BRIAN HENRY ON THE FUTURE OF GLORIAVALE, AND WHY IT'S THE COURTS ` NOT THE GOVERNMENT ` LEADING THE WAY. CAPTIONS BY KATE MCCULLOUGH AND KATE HARRIS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 WELL, LABOUR STARTED THE WEEK WITH A NEW SLOGAN AND HIT ITS 'SOFT ON CRIME CRITICS' WITH A POLICY TRILOGY. BUT AFTER A PRIME MINISTERIAL MISTAKE, AND CRITICISM OVER LACK OF DETAIL THE WEEK ENDED WITH THAT DREADED 'OWN GOAL' FEELING. A BIG REVEAL TOO THAT PARTY POLLING IS IN THE LOW 30'S, AND THE PM'S POPULARITY IS SLIPPING. WITH 11 WEEKS TO GO, CAN LABOUR REVIVE ITS CAMPAIGN? THE MINISTER CHARGED WITH DOING JUST THAT IS MEGAN WOODS. I BEGAN BY ASKING HER WHAT THE NEW LABOUR SLOGAN 'IN IT FOR YOU' ACTUALLY MEANS. WELL, I THINK WHAT IT SAYS IS EXACTLY WHAT'S ON THE TIN, AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE POINT, THAT IT'S VERY MUCH ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS LABOUR, AND IT'S VERY MUCH ABOUT WHO CHRIS IS, AS OUR PRIME MINISTER AND AS OUR LEADER. HE'S A MAN FROM THE HUTT. I'M NOT GOING TO CALL HIM A BOY. AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE OUT THERE FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE, MUCH LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M THE MP FOR WIGRAM. I SEE THAT PEOPLE IN MY OWN PATCH ARE DOING IT PRETTY TOUGH. SO HE'S IN IT FOR THEM. BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THE COLLECTIVE CALL OF PREVIOUS SLOGANS LIKE, 'LET'S DO THIS' AND 'LET'S KEEP MOVING'. IT'S FAR MORE INDIVIDUALISTIC. IT'S FAR MORE SELF-CENTRED, REALLY. OH, LOOK, I DON'T READ IT THAT WAY. I SEE THAT THIS IS ABOUT A GOVERNMENT THAT'S GOT PEOPLE FRONT AND CENTRE OF WHAT IT'S DOING. THAT WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS, IT'S ABOUT PUTTING PEOPLE AT THE CENTRE OF THAT DECISION MAKING. I MEAN, 'LET'S DO THIS'. AND THAT'S` YOU'RE ONLY POINTING TO TWO CAMPAIGNS. THE TWO PREVIOUS ONES, AND THEY WERE 'LET'S'. THEY WERE A CALL TO ARMS. THEY WERE INCLUSIVE. YEAH, BUT LOOK, I MEAN, I THINK 'IN IT FOR YOU', THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOT A CHOICE AT THIS ELECTION. THERE'S A GOVERNMENT THAT ARE GOING TO PUT PEOPLE AT THE CENTRE OF DECISION MAKING, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE LABOUR PARTY IS OFFERING. SO CHRIS HIPKINS IS 'IN IT FOR US'. HE'S FORESHADOWED A PRACTICAL CAMPAIGN. DOES THAT MEAN IT'S GOING TO BE SAFE? IS IT GOING TO BE CAUTIOUS? NO KIWI BUILDS, NO NUCLEAR-FREE MOMENTS, NO BIG IDEAS, NO BIG PROMISES? WELL, OF COURSE ALL THE POLICY WILL GET RELEASED AS WE GO THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN, BUT IN TERMS OF THE MACHINERY OF THE CAMPAIGN, IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, I MEAN, THIS IS ABOUT FINDING WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH NEW ZEALANDERS ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM. THE FLAVOUR, I MEAN PRACTICAL, THE FLAVOUR OF THE CAMPAIGN. IS THAT GOING TO INSPIRE NEW ZEALANDERS? OH, LOOK, WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN HAS TO DO IS GIVE NEW ZEALANDERS HOPE. PEOPLE ARE DOING IT REALLY TOUGH OUT THERE AT THE MOMENT. I THINK WHAT THEY SEE IN CHRIS HIPKINS IS THAT THEY'RE REACTING POSITIVELY TO HIM. THEY SEE HIM AS A LEADER THAT THEY CAN PUT THEIR FAITH IN, THAT ACTUALLY CAN GIVE THEM SOME HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. AND THIS IS VERY MUCH WHAT THIS ELECTION IS GOING TO BE ABOUT. I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT LABOUR'S PERFORMANCE SO FAR THIS YEAR. SO MANY MINISTERIAL MISTAKES RECENTLY. STUART NASH, MEKA WHAITIRI, JAN TINETTI, MICHAEL WOOD, KIRI ALLAN. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE LABOUR'S START TO THE ELECTION YEAR? OH, LOOK, I THINK CHRIS HAS BEEN REALLY UP FRONT ABOUT THAT HIMSELF. OF COURSE THIS IS NOT THE CONVERSATION THAT WE WANT TO BE HAVING, AND HE'S MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR TO US AS A CAUCUS AND AS A CABINET THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS, THAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON THE THINGS THAT MATTER TO NEW ZEALANDERS. PEOPLE ARE DOING IT TOUGH, AND WE NEED TO BE ABSOLUTELY LASER-FOCUSED ON WHAT THE SOLUTIONS ARE FOR... SO THAT'S POLICY, RIGHT? THAT'S POLICY? ABSOLUTELY, AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING. OK. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT POLICY. THIS WEEK, YOUTH OFFENDING AND JUSTICE. ISSUES THE OPPOSITION HAS BEEN HAMMERING FOR AGES. ARE YOU BEING TOO SLOW AND TOO REACTIVE? NO, NOT AT ALL. I DON'T ACCEPT THAT. I MEAN, IF YOU` FOR EXAMPLE, YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE YOUTH JUSTICE POLICIES THAT WE'VE RELEASED THIS WEEK, THEY'RE A CONTINUATION OF WORK THAT HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. WHAT DO WE DO FOR THOSE GROUP OF KIDS WHO WE ARE FAILING, WHO WE'RE NOT REACHING WITH THAT, AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT POLICY. SO I WOULDN'T CALL IT REACTIVE. WOULD YOU CALL IT SLOW? NO, NOT AT ALL. THIS HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT ANY RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO MONITOR. IF YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE, MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IT SIX MONTHS AGO OR 12 MONTHS AGO. WELL, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT EVIDENCE AROUND THE 77% OF KIDS WHO ARE SUCCEEDING IN THE PROGRAMME, WHO ARE NOT REOFFENDING. BUT WHEN YOU DO RELEASE THESE POLICIES, YOU'VE GOT MISTAKES HAPPENING. LIKE ON MONDAY, THE PRIME MINISTER HAD TO CORRECT IT. AND THEN WITH THE YOUTH FACILITIES, KELVIN DAVIS DIDN'T HAVE COSTINGS OR A BUSINESS CASE. IT FEELS RUSHED, AND IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE MISTAKES HAPPENING. LOOK, I DON'T` LOOK, THE PRIME MINISTER MADE A MISTAKE ON MONDAY. I THINK THAT ANYONE IN THE COUNTRY THAT CAN PUT UP THEIR HAND AND SAY THEY'VE NEVER MADE A MISTAKE, THEN LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. BUT CHRIS IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO SAY, 'YUP, I MADE A MISTAKE.' AND DOES THAT SIT WELL WITH THE VOTERS THAT HE'S HAVING TO SAY THAT? LET'S ACTUALLY GO BACK AND LOOK WHAT THE MISTAKE WAS, ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS AN AGGRAVATING FACTOR IN SENTENCING OR WHETHER IT WAS A NEW OFFENCE. THE OUTCOME IS STILL THE SAME, THAT WHAT IT'S SAYING IS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN SYSTEMS IN OUR JUSTICE, BUT IT ACTUALLY TAKES THIS INTO ACCOUNT` IT'S PREFERABLE NOT TO HAVE TO DO THAT. OF COURSE IT'S PREFERABLE NOT TO DO THAT, BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF THE` PEOPLE SAYING THE BUSINESS CASE HADN'T BEEN COMPLETED, WE'D EQUALLY BE SITTING HERE GETTING HAMMERED BY YOU, SIMON, IF ALL WE'D DONE IS THAT WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL WE'VE COMPLETED ALL THE BUSINESS CASE BEFORE WE CAN SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. LET'S TALK TAX. HUGE CALL BY THE PRIME MINISTER TO RULE OUT CAPITAL GAINS AND THE WEALTH TAX. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT BITTERLY DISAPPOINTS CORE LABOUR SUPPORTERS, AND I WONDER WHY YOU'RE PRIORITISING SWING NATIONAL VOTERS OVER THEM WITH THIS KIND OF RULING OUT. LOOK, I DON'T ACCEPT THAT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING, THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS` SO WHY DO IT? SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT THE MOMENT IS THAT WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO ADD TO INFLATION, THAT WE'VE GOT A SERIES OF MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE AT THE MOMENT THAT ARE ABOUT ALLEVIATE` I DON'T SEE HOW A WEALTH TAX ADDS TO INFLATION. JUST HEAR ME OUT. IN TERMS OF ALLEVIATING THE COST OF LIVING PRESSURES THAT WE KNOW SO` THAT WE KNOW SO MANY NEW ZEALANDERS ARE FEELING. SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT TAX, THE FIRST THING THAT WE HAD TO RULE OUT WAS WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO DO TAX CUTS SUCH AS WHAT THE NATIONAL PARTY ARE PROPOSING, WHICH WILL BE INFLATIONARY. SO THAT WAS MY POINT AROUND THAT. BUT ALSO THE PRIME MINISTER HAS MADE A CAPTAIN'S CALL. PRIME MINISTERS GET TO DO THAT. AND WHEN HE'S DONE THAT, HAS HE LET DOWN HIS SENIOR MINISTERS LIKE DAVID PARKER AND GRANT ROBERTSON? IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE BOTH OPENLY DISAPPOINTED, AND THAT DOESN'T... PRESENT A UNITED FRONT. WELL, I DON'T THINK YOU'VE SEEN ANYTHING BUT A UNITED FRONT THAT YOU'VE HAD TWO MINISTERS THAT SAID, 'YEP, WE DID SOME WORK ON IT. 'IT'S DISAPPOINTING, BUT WE'RE TEAM PLAYERS; WE'LL MOVE ON.' THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT A FUNCTIONAL AND UNITED TEAM DOES... WERE YOU DISAPPOINTED? ...AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE. LOOK, I MEAN, I THINK THAT ALL OF US, INCLUDING CHRIS HIPKINS, CAN LOOK AND SEE THAT THERE IS SOME UNFAIRNESS IN OUR TAX SYSTEM. RIGHT. BUT IS NOW THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THAT? NO. AND THE PRIME MINISTER... SO YOU AGREE WITH THE CAPTAIN'S CALL? ABSOLUTELY. AND THE PRIME MINISTER HAS MADE IT CLEAR WHERE LABOUR SITS ON THAT, AND HE'S PUT THAT OUT TO VOTERS. AND WILL THAT CAPTAIN'S CALL DRIVE VOTERS TO THE GREENS WHO STILL HAVE THIS AS THEIR POLICY? THAT'S A QUESTION FOR VOTERS, BUT I DON'T THINK SO. LABOUR WILL BE PUTTING OUT THERE TO NEW ZEALANDERS A WHOLE SERIES OF MEASURES OF WHY THEY SHOULD VOTE LABOUR. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. I MEAN, NATIONAL'S PUT OUT 27 POLICIES, SO WE'RE WAITING FOR LABOUR. WELL, I'M WAITING FOR SOME OF THE DETAILS OF NATIONAL'S POLICIES. IF YOU'RE GOING TO CRITICISE KELVIN DAVIS FOR NOT HAVING A BUSINESS CASE ON A YOUTH JUSTICE FACILITY, I'D LIKE TO SEE A BIT MORE PROBING QUESTIONING ON SOME OF THOSE NATIONAL PARTY POLICIES. ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE A SENIOR MINISTER, YOU'VE GOT HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY, AND YOU'VE JUST HAD A MAJOR CLIMATE ANNOUNCEMENT WITH FONTERRA ABOUT REDUCING COAL EMISSIONS. IDEALLY, THOSE DENSE PORTFOLIOS SHOULD HAVE A MINISTER OF THEIR OWN. DO YOU JUST NOT HAVE ENOUGH TALENT IN THE FRONT BENCH NOW? NOT AT ALL. I THINK THAT THOSE PORTFOLIOS GO TOGETHER INCREDIBLY WELL. IF I LOOK AT WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, HOLDING BOTH THE ENERGY AND THE HOUSING PORTFOLIO, IN TERMS OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING AROUND SOLAR PANELS ON OUR PUBLIC HOUSING, LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS ENERGY HARDSHIP THROUGH HOUSING... BUT THEY'RE REALLY DENSE PORTFOLIOS, REALLY DENSE POLICIES. ABSOLUTELY. THE ENERGY ANNOUNCEMENT, IT'S ANOTHER DENSE THING, AND IT NEEDS YOUR FULL-TIME COMMITMENT. BIG, BIG ISSUES. AND LOOK, I MEAN, I THINK THAT ALL OF THOSE PORTFOLIOS ARE PORTFOLIOS WHERE WE'VE MADE REALLY GOOD GAINS IN AS A GOVERNMENT. I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE SUFFERED BY THE FACT THAT I HOLD MULTIPLE PORTFOLIOS. RIGHT. AND ARE THEY SUFFERING? BECAUSE ON TOP OF ALL THAT` AND BEING GENEROUS, THE CAMPAIGN IS LOOKING TIGHT, ISN'T IT? SO` AND EXECUTION WILL BE CRITICAL FOR YOU. SO SHOULD YOU BE THE CAMPAIGN CHAIR, OR SHOULD SOMEBODY ELSE BE FOCUSSED ON THAT FULL-TIME? OH, WELL, WE HAVE A FULL TIME CAMPAIGN MANAGER, THAT THE CAMPAIGN` SO YOU'RE GONNA DO BOTH. THE CAMPAIGN` THE ROLE OF THE CAMPAIGN CHAIR IS NOT A FULL-TIME JOB. IT'S NOT TO DO THE OPERATIONS. THE CAMPAIGN CHAIR IS THE STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT. IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE BITS ARE IN PLACE AND THAT IT'S GOING THROUGH THERE. AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN FROM POLITICAL PARTIES, OVER A NUMBER OF CAMPAIGNS NOW, THAT THIS HAS BEEN, IF YOU'RE IN OPPOSITION, A MEMBER OF CAUCUS OR A SENIOR MINISTER THAT HAS DONE IT. SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I CAN DO IT` YOU'RE TOTALLY CONFIDENT YOU CAN DO BOTH? I'VE DONE IT BEFORE. I KNOW I CAN DO IT` DO IT AGAIN. PART OF THE CAMPAIGNING IS TO RAISE MONEY; LARGE POLITICAL DONATIONS. SO FAR THIS YEAR, NATIONAL HAS RAISED $1.6 MILLION. THEN COMES ACT, GREENS, EVEN NEW ZEALAND FIRST, AND THEN LABOUR WITH ABOUT $400,000. YOU'RE FIFTH. THAT'S LARGE DONATIONS. THAT'S LARGE DONATIONS, AND YOU'RE FIFTH. LARGE DONATIONS, AND LABOUR HAS NEVER TRADITIONALLY COLLECTED ITS DONATIONS IN THE FORM OF LARGE DONORS. BUT YOU DO RAISE MONEY. I MEAN, THE LAST ELECTION YOU CAME SECOND. YES, WE DO RAISE MONEY, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL THROUGH LARGE DONATIONS. YOU'RE ONLY GOING THROUGH THE LARGE DONATIONS. A LOT OF THE MONEY ` THAT'S ALL I CAN GO THROUGH AT THE MOMENT. NO, BUT WHAT LABOUR TRADITIONALLY GETS, AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER MANY ELECTIONS, THAT YOU'LL SEE WE GET A LOT OF SMALL DONATIONS, PEOPLE THAT PUT IN WHAT THEY CAN BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT SEEING A LABOUR GOVERNMENT RETURNED. BUT SIMON, I'LL POINT YOU TO THE FACT THAT NATIONAL COMPLETELY OUT-FUNDRAISED US AT THE LAST ELECTION. HOW MUCH MONEY YOU RAISE IS NOT A SIGN OF HOW WELL YOU'RE GOING TO SUCCEED AT THE POLLS. AND I THINK THE FACT` I THINK IT WAS NEARLY TWICE AS MUCH, THAT NATIONAL RAISED AT THE LAST ELECTION` $2.8M TO YOUR $1.5M LAST ELECTION. EXACTLY. BUT YOU'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE WAY THAT THIS TREND IS GOING WITH THESE LARGE DONATIONS? WELL, IN TERMS OF HOW LABOUR IS TRACKING IN TERMS OF OUR` THE MONEY COMING IN. OH, NO, NO. WE ARE ON TRACK OF WHERE WE NEED TO BE. OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS NEED TO RAISE MORE MONEY. AS I SAID, THIS IS NOTHING NEW. THIS IS THE WAY LABOUR PARTIES HAVE RAISED MONEY FOR DECADES AND DECADES AND DECADES. IT DOES NOT COME IN THE FORM OF LARGE DONATIONS. ALL RIGHT. WE ALL ACKNOWLEDGE IT'S BEEN A CRAZY FEW YEARS, AND I WONDER WHETHER YOU FEAR THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, WHAT POLICIES YOU PUT OUT THERE, VOTERS ARE TIRED, AND THEY DO ASSOCIATE LABOUR WITH THE DIFFICULT TIMES. IT'S JUST THAT THEY NEED A CHANGE. LOOK, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THE POLLING'S SUGGESTING THAT AT ALL. I THINK THAT WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT LABOUR, THEY ACTUALLY SEE A PARTY AND A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS GOT THEM THROUGH THE DIFFICULT TIMES AS WELL. THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT LOOK AT THAT. I THINK WHAT WE CAN SEE, IF WE LOOK AT THE POLLING, IS IT IS INCREDIBLY TIGHT, AND IT HAS BEEN ALL YEAR` BUT THE TREND IS GOING DOWN. NO, IT'S ACTUALLY` THE LINE OF BEST FIT WOULD PRETTY MUCH BE A STRAIGHT LINE. THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS. THIS IS INCREDIBLY TIGHT, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE KIND OF THE LEFT VERSUS RIGHT BLOCS AND HOW THAT IS TRACKING. THIS IS A CLASSIC MMP DRAG RACE. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO COME DOWN TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VOTES, PROBABLY. VERY EXCITING. VERY EXCITING. MEGAN WOODS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. IT'S A BIG DAY FOR WINSTON PETERS. VOTED OUT AT THE LAST ELECTION, HIS BID TO GET BACK INTO PARLIAMENT OFFICIALLY STARTS TODAY. HE'S GIVING HIS CONVENTION SPEECH RIGHT NOW IN AUCKLAND. LET'S TAKE A LISTEN. ...PET GOVERNMENT PROJECTS, AND PROVED THAT THE PROVINCES ARE NEW ZEALAND'S ECONOMIC HEARTLAND. SHANE JONES AND NEW ZEALAND FIRST DID THAT, AND CAN YOU RECALL THE RECEPTION WE GOT? REMEMBER HOW THEY SCOFFED AT THIS INVESTMENT. WELL, WE USED TO GET ALMOST INJURED WHILE THEY FOUGHT AND SQUABBLED TO GET INTO THE PHOTOGRAPHS, WHEN WE'RE MAKING ALL THOSE THINGS OPEN` ALL THOSE INVENTIONS. UNBELIEVABLE. AND THOSE PEOPLE OVER THERE ALLOWED THEM TO CALL IT A SLUSH FUND. HELPING THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE THIS ECONOMY, IN COVID, SAVED THIS COUNTRY, MAINLY THE PROVINCES AND THE PROVINCIAL WEALTH, THEY CALLED IT A SLUSH FUND. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I DESPISE THOSE PEOPLE. I DESPISE THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE CONTEMPT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS COUNTRY GREAT, AND THAT'S ORDINARY MAN AND WOMAN OUT THERE, AND THEIR FAMILIES, IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, THE HAMLETS, AND THE VILLAGE, AND THE SUBURBS OF NEW ZEALAND. THEY DESERVE A POLITICAL VOICE IN PARLIAMENT, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE IT. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) WE ARE BUILDING THE BIGGEST MUSSEL FARM IN THE WORLD, IN A VERY DEPRIVED PLACE CALLED OPOTIKI. AND A HUGE MUSSEL FACTORY AS WELL. AND DOING ALL THESE THINGS ALL THE TIME. AND WHAT DO WE GET? WELL FRANKLY, THEY CAME TO JEER, BUT THEY HAD TO STAY TO CHEER. BUT HOW GRUDGINGLY. CAN'T THEY UNDERSTAND THIS COMMENTARY, THESE OTHER PARTIES, AND SOME JOURNALISTS, HOW AN ECONOMY WORKS? IT WORKS LIKE A HOUSEHOLD, YOU HAVE TO BRING MORE MONEY IN THAN YOU SPEND, OR YOU WILL GO BROKE. BUT IT HAS ONE OTHER FEATURE THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. THE GOVERNMENT CAN PRINT THE MONEY, AND THE QUESTION BECOMES, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH IT?' ARE YOU SPENDING IT ON... WINSTON PETERS IN HIS ELEMENT THERE. LOOKS LIKE HE'S HAVING A LOT OF FUN. THAT IS HIS OPENING SPEECH TO THE CONFERENCE THAT IS HAPPENING IN MANGERE HERE IN AUCKLAND. HE'S POLLING AROUND 3% ` A FAIR WAY OFF THE 5% HE WILL NEED TO GET BACK TO PARLIAMENT. SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER AMELIA WADE IS AT THE NEW ZEALAND FIRST PARTY CONVENTION IN AUCKLAND, COVERING IT ALL WEEKEND. WELCOME, AMELIA. WHAT'S THE VIBE LIKE OUT THERE THIS MORNING? AS YOU JUST HEARD, THE RIGHT HONOURABLE IS GIVING THEM THE OLD WINSTON PETERS RAZZLE-DAZZLE, AND IT IS GOING DOWN A TREAT. THE VIBE IS QUITE HIGH. THE MOOD IS BOISTEROUS. EVERYONE'S LOVING LOOKING AT WINSTON PETERS. THEY'VE GOT NZ FIRST MERCH FOR SALE, AND AS EVERYONE CHECKS IN, THEY HAVE A WHITEBOARD OF ISSUES THEY WANT TO VOTE ON, INCLUDING IF THREE WATERS SHOULD BE REPEALED; OVERWHELMINGLY, 'YES', WHETHER GENDER SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS; OVERWHELMINGLY 'NO'. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT AFTER THE LAST ELECTION, THEY WERE IN TATTERS. TRACEY MARTIN AND JENNY MARCROFT BOTH ABANDONED THE PARTY BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT IT HADN'T DONE ENOUGH TO MODERNISE, AND WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH AT REPRESENTING WOMEN. HOWEVER, I JUST SPOKE TO JENNY MARCROFT THIS MORNING, AND WE'RE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT SHE IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED THIS WEEKEND. SHE SAYS THAT THERE'S BEEN AN OVERHAUL OF THE LEADERSHIP, AND NOW SHE HAS BETTER TRUST IN THE PARTY, AND SHE FEELS CONFIDENT TO COME BACK. AND IT HAS RE-MODERNISED, AND MADE THE CHANGES THAT SHE WANTED TO SEE. SO OVERALL, THE VIBES ARE PRETTY GOOD HERE AT THE MOMENT. ABSOLUTELY. THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED SINCE NEW ZEALAND FIRST WAS LAST IN PARLIAMENT. ACT IS TAKING UP A LOT OF ITS TRADITIONAL SPACE NOW` SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE NZ FIRST? THAT IS RIGHT. ACT AND NEW ZEALAND FIRST ARE FISHING IN THE SAME POND, SO TO SPEAK. NEW ZEALAND FIRST HAS A COUPLE OF CHALLENGES ON THAT FRONT. WHILST NEW ZEALAND FIRST HAS BEEN OUT OF PARLIAMENT, DAVID SEYMOUR HAS REALLY HAD HIS MOMENT IN THE SUN OVER THE PAST TERM. HE HAS MANAGED TO INCREASE HIS PARTY SUPPORT IN THE LATEST POLLS, THEY'RE NOW IN THE LOW TEENS, WHILST NEW ZEALAND FIRST IS STILL KICKING AROUND BELOW THE 5% THRESHOLD. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WINSTON PETERS WILL FACE IS TO CONVINCE THE VOTERS AND HIS BASE THAT HE IS NOT YESTERDAY'S MAN, THAT HIS PARTY IS STILL RELEVANT. IN FACT, I SPOKE TO A PREVIOUS NEW ZEALAND FIRST SUPPORTER AT A SPEECH HE MADE TO GREY POWER EARLIER IN THE YEAR, AND SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD SWITCHED TO VOTE TO ACT, BECAUSE HE FELT MORE RELEVANT. SO WINSTON PETERS IS UP AGAINST THAT CHALLENGE. HE ALSO FACES THE CHALLENGE OF THE TRUST FROM HIS BASE, AFTER HE WENT WITH LABOUR, WHICH HAS COME UP AT ALMOST EVERY MEETING I'VE BEEN AT SINCE THEY WERE KICKED OUT OF PARLIAMENT. SO HE NEEDS TO CONVINCE THAT BASE, THAT HE IS BACK, AND CONVINCE THEM WHY HE WENT WITH LABOUR THAT FIRST TIME. THERE DOES SEEM TO BE QUITE A BIT OF TRUST LOST OVER THAT. ABSOLUTELY. THAT WAS A BIT OF A HANGOVER FROM LAST TIME` AN IMPORTANT ONE, AMELIA. AND THIS ISN'T JUST A SPEECH, IS IT? IT'S A WHOLE PRODUCTION, GOING OVER TWO DAYS, I SAW A CAKE-CUTTING CEREMONY; A GALA DINNER TONIGHT; THEY'RE REALLY GOING ALL OUT THERE. IT IS A VERITABLE NEW ZEALAND FIRST FIESTA THIS WEEKEND. THEY HAVE THE AGM TODAY, WHERE THE DELEGATES OF 200 PEOPLE WILL DISCUSS THEIR REMITS, THERE WILL BE CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED. THIS EVENING, SHANE JONES WILL GIVE A SPEECH BEFORE A BUFFET DINNER; CAKE CUTTING, AS YOU MENTIONED; TOMORROW THEY ARE MOVING TO MOUNT SMART STADIUM FOR THE PROPER LAUNCH OF THE CAMPAIGN, WHERE WINSTON PETERS WILL BE HEADING OFF INTO THE REGIONS, LIKE HE DOES EVERY CAMPAIGN, AND SO THAT WILL BE THE START OF THE PROPER CAMPAIGN FOR NEW ZEALAND FIRST. IT IS GONNA BE A FASCINATING WEEKEND. THANKS FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS. THAT IS AMELIA WADE, SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA, WE'LL HAVE OUR POLITICAL PANEL DR LARA GREAVES, MARG JOINER AND BEN THOMAS. PLUS ` WHY HAVE SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS ALLOWED GLORIAVALE TO FLOURISH FOR SO LONG? LAWYER BRIAN HENRY AFTER THE BREAK. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. WELL, GLORIAVALE HAS HIT THE HEADLINES AGAIN THIS WEEK. THE EDUCATION REVIEW OFFICE ANNOUNCING IT'S INVESTIGATING ITS PRIVATE SCHOOL. IT COMES AFTER A SECOND SUCCESSFUL COURT CASE AGAINST THE LEADERSHIP, WHICH FOUND THAT CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS SIX ARE ACTUALLY EMPLOYEES IN THE COMMUNITY, AND NOT VOLUNTEERS AS GLORIAVALE HAD TRIED TO CLAIM. GLORIAVALE HAS BEEN RUN BY MEN, BUT TODAY WAS A WIN FOR THE WOMEN. WE'VE GOT SIX VERY HAPPY LADIES HERE WHO FEEL VERY VINDICATED. THESE SIX WOMEN HAVE STOOD UP FOR THEMSELVES AND WON. THE COURT SEES THAT WE WERE EMPLOYED. IT'S JUST SO INCREDIBLE JUST TO BE BELIEVED. SIX WOMEN NOW LEGALLY SEEN AS THE HARD-WORKING EMPLOYEES THEY WERE FOR YEARS ON END, AND UNDER PUNISHING CONDITIONS. THE DECISION COULD HAVE MAJOR RAMIFICATIONS FOR THE RECLUSIVE COMMUNITY. THE WOMEN WILL NOW BE COMPENSATED. SO IT'S HARD MANUAL LABOUR, AND THAT WOULD BE ALL DAY. YOU JUST WOULDN'T EAT. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN GLORIAVALE WHO ARE ALSO AWAITING THIS JUDGEMENT WHO I KNOW WILL BE VERY PLEASED THAT THE JUDGE HAS SEEN THAT THERE'S` THERE ARE ISSUES THERE, THERE'S EXPLOITATION, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED A BETTER LIFE AND BETTER CHOICE. IT SMELLS LIKE, SOUNDS LIKE, LOOKS LIKE SLAVERY. STRONG WORDS THERE FROM LAWYER BRIAN HENRY, WHO JOINS US NOW. BRIAN, PEOPLE MIGHT HEAR 'SLAVERY' AND THINK THAT IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE IN NEW ZEALAND. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT SO, BUT WHAT WE SEE HERE IS A GOVERNMENT REPORT SAYING THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE VOLUNTEERS. IF YOU READ WHAT WE BELIEVE, WHICH IS THEIR FOUNDING DOCUMENT, WHICH THE JUDGE HAS DONE A FEW TIMES NOW, IF YOU GO THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND SEE TODDLERS IN THEIR BLUE UNIFORM, WHICH IS THEIR CLOTHING FOR LIFE, AND AS THE JUDGE SAID, THEY ARE BORN INTO IT BY THE FACT THEY ARE FEMALE. THEY'VE GOT NOWHERE TO GO. THE JUDGE WENT SO FAR TO SAY THAT IT IS EXPLOITATION, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN, FORCED INTO LABOUR FROM AGE 6. SHE SAID, 'IT'S HARD WORK,' DESCRIBING IT AS UNRELENTING, GRINDING, HARD AND PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY DEMANDING. 6-YEAR-OLDS. 6-YEAR-OLDS. THAT IS THE LIFE THEY HAVE SEEN FROM THE MOMENT THEY'RE BORN. THEY KNOW NO DIFFERENT AND ARE TAUGHT NO DIFFERENT. IT IS AN UTTERLY MALE-DOMINATED SOCIETY, AND THEY ARE THERE, AND I HAVE USE THE WORDS 'LOOKS LIKE SLAVERY.' IF YOU'RE BORN INTO SOMETHING WITH NO CHOICE, WITH PEOPLE CONTROLLING YOU FOR THE WHOLE OF YOUR LIFE, THAT IS WHAT THE ORDINARY WORD SLAVE MEANS. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CRIMINAL SLAVERY, THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINARY WORD 'SLAVERY' MEANS. AND IN MY OPINION, THEY ARE SLAVES. SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING CAME UP DURING YOUR CROSS EXAMINATION OF HOWARD TEMPLE. AND I THINK THIS IS A CRUCIAL POINT IN THE COURT CASE, THAT THESE CHILDREN ARE SEPARATED FROM SOCIETY AS PART OF GLORIAVALE'S STRATEGY TO KEEP THEM IN THE COMMUNITY. WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PIECE OF THE CROSS-EXAMINATION NOW. THE KEY WORD THERE IS CHRISTIAN UNITY, ISN'T IT? YES. AND CHRISTIAN UNITY... IS BOUGHT ABOUT... BY KEEPING THEM SEPARATE... FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. THAT'S PART OF THE CHURCH LIFE... SO THE ANSWER'S YES` ...KEEPING THEM SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD... WELL, THAT'S PART OF OUR SEPARATION. WHAT I'M PUTTING TO YOU IS THAT THE REASON FOR THAT SEPARATION... IS TO KEEP THE CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY, ISN'T IT? THAT IS ONE REASON, YES. THAT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PIECE OF CROSS-EXAMINATION, AND IT IS CRUCIAL, BECAUSE IT PROVES THAT THEY ARE THERE NOT OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL, AND THERE IS NO CHOICE. THEY CANNOT BE VOLUNTEERS. IT WAS A DECISION MADE 50 YEARS AGO, AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS PROSELYTISING, BRINGING IN ADULTS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP, AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD BUILD WITH THE CHILDREN, SO THE POPULATION BUILDS WITH CHILDREN, THEY ISOLATED UP INTO THE WILD WEST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, AND THEY LITERALLY DEPENDED ON CHILD LABOUR. ALL OF THEIR BUSINESSES REQUIRED LABOUR. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ADULTS, SO YOU HAVE 600 IN THE COMMUNITY, 400 ARE CHILDREN. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO RAN THE DAIRY, THEY RAN VARIOUS BUSINESSES. THEY WERE NOT IN THE RENDERING PLANT SO MUCH, WHICH IS A HORRIFIC PLACE TO WORK, BUT YOU SAW THE GIRLS WERE MARSHALLED, ORGANISED LABOUR, SAW THE LITTLE BOYS, MARSHALLED ORGANISED LABOUR, IN THE FIRST CASE, THE COURAGE DECISION. IT WAS A CONSCIOUS, DELIBERATE, WHAT I CALLED 'DOCTRINE OF SEPARATION' TO HIM IN CROSS-EXAMINATION. HE ACCEPTED THAT. AND HE IS QUITE HAPPY ABOUT IT. TO HIM, IT IS FINE. 'WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?' IT IS EXTRAORDINARY. YOU HAVE TOUCHED ON THERE, THAT THIS IS THE SECOND CASE YOU'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN NOW, AND THERE ARE STILL 350 CHILDREN UNDER 15 IN GLORIAVALE WHO ARE PRESUMABLY IN THE SAME SITUATION OR SIMILAR. THEY ARE CLAIMING THEY HAVE MADE CHANGES. I AM TOTALLY SCEPTICAL BECAUSE THEY NEED TO HAVE CHILD LABOUR TO OPERATE. OTHERWISE, HOW DOES IT WORK? THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ADULTS. WE ARE ALSO HEARING THAT THE EDUCATION REVIEW OFFICE IS INVOLVED. I WANT TO GET TO THE INSTITUTIONAL FAILURES THAT HAVE ALLOWED THIS TO FLOAT. BUT TO CIRCLE BACK, THESE CHILDREN ARE SUPPOSEDLY EDUCATED IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT E.R.O. IS LOOKING AT THAT THIS WEEK, BECAUSE OF WHAT CAME OUT IN THE COURT CASE. IF THEY READ WHAT WE BELIEVE AT THE OUTSET, WHY ARE WE HERE? THE JUDGE SAID IN THE FIRST JUDGEMENT, A CURSORY LOOK AT WHAT WE BELIEVE SETS OFF ALARM BELLS. WHEN I FIRST READ IT, I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I READ. THEN WE HAD TO SIT DOWN AND WORK THROUGH ALL OF THE JARGON AND THE WAY THEY TALK. IT IS AN UNREAL PLAN SAYING EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID IN CROSS-EXAMINATION. THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE DOCUMENT. EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THIS CASE, YOU HAVE BEEN STEEPED IN IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS COMMUNITY IN THIS CASE, I WONDER HOW HAS THIS BEEN ALLOWED TO GO ON FOR SO LONG. WE ARE TALKING 53 YEARS NOW, THE THIRD GENERATION. PROTECTIONS OF THE STATE HAVE NOT EXTENDED TO CHILDREN IN THAT COMMUNITY, HAVE THEY? TWO PARTS. FIRST, THE POLICE PUT THEM ASIDE BECAUSE THEY ARE FACING A GROUP THAT ARE TEACHING THEIR KIDS NOT TO TALK TO POLICE. THEY CAN ONLY REACT, THEY ARE NOT A PROACTIVE SOCIAL AGENCY. PUT THEM TO ONE SIDE. THE COURTS IN 1996, IN SENTENCING THE LEADER SAID HE WAS IN CONTROL. SAID THIS WAS VIRTUALLY A CULT. SAID THIS WAS A DANGEROUS MAN. FIVE YEARS OF JAIL. EVIDENCE IS HE WAS RELEASED IN 12 MONTHS BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, AS A LEADER OF THE COMMUNITY. HE RAN THE COMMUNITY FROM PRISON... AND YOU WONDER WHY YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM? THE THING IS IT IS ONLY BECAUSE SOMEONE PUT OUT A REPORT SAYING THAT THESE KIDS ARE VOLUNTEERS, AND THAT UPSET THEM ENOUGH TO FIND SOMEONE TO HELP THEM, WHICH IS US, AND WE ARE BASICALLY DOING THIS CHARITABLY... GROUP OF FOUR. WHERE HAS THE GOVERNMENT BEEN? WHERE HAS THE GOVERNMENT BEEN? IT LOOKS LIKE A MULTI-AGENCY INSTITUTIONAL FAILURE THAT HAS UNRAVELLED OVER DECADES. YEAH. THERE'S A SEGMENT IN THE EVIDENCE WHERE THE ATTORNEY GENERALS' LAWYER PUTS TO ONE OF THE SHEPHERDS, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A COMMITTEE SINCE 2015. YET WHAT HAS IT DONE? HE SAID, 'THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF IT.' HE IS THE SENIOR SHEPHERD. IT IS MIND-BOGGLING. THIS IS SLAVERY, IN OUR COUNTRY, UNDER OUR NOSES, AND NOTHING IS HAPPENING EXCEPT THROUGH THE LABOUR COURT, AND THE CHIEF JUDGE OF THE LABOUR COURT IN THESE HEARINGS, OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE CARRYING ON. I SPOKE TO MBIE YESTERDAY, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LABOUR ELEMENT. THEY SAID IT IS MORE COMPLEX THAN LABOUR LAWS, BUT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. IT TELL US THAT THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE TO IDENTIFY THE EMPLOYER, IN TERMS OF GETTING BACK PAYMENT OF MINIMUM WAGE, AND THERE ARE MORE BUREAUCRATIC HOLES TO LEAP THROUGH, AND EVEN THOUGH THE COURAGE CASE WAS A YEAR AGO, WE ARE STILL IN EXPLORATORY MEETINGS. EMPLOYMENT IS ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL. SO IS SLAVERY. IF WE HAVE NO AGENCY IN THE GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO RECOGNISE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT SLAVERY, WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM IN OUR CONSTITUTION. MBIE CAN SAY THEY HAVE ISSUES; THE ISSUE NOW IS THE 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHOSE LIFE, BY VIRTUE OF BIRTH, IS DICTATED INTO COOKING, CLEANING AND SEWING. HARD, HARD WORK. THEIR OWN LAWYERS DO NOT DISPUTE THAT THEY WORK HARD. THEY WORK INCREDIBLY HARD. THAT HASN'T STOPPED. AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO STOP THROUGH OUR LITIGATION. THAT STOPS BECAUSE GOVERNMENT STEPS UP, SOMEWHERE IN ITS BOWELS, AND DOES ITS JOB, AND DON'T TELL ME THEY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT SINCE 2015 AND DOING NOTHING. I GOT INVOLVED WAY AFTER THAT, AND WE HAVE RIPPED IT TO BITS. BUT WHY IS IT US? WHY ISN'T THERE SOMEONE IN THE GOVERNMENT DOING THIS? PUT POLICE ASIDE, THEY CAN ONLY COME IN AFTER THE EVENT. WHO IS THERE BEFORE THE EVENT? THERE ARE NOW LITTLE GIRLS... I SAW THEM AS WE WALKED AROUND THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS DISTURBING. WE WILL KEEP FOLLOWING UP. I KNOW THAT YOU WILL TOO. BRIAN HENRY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THESE CASES AND FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANK YOU. A MURI AKE NEI, WE'LL BE BACK WITH OUR PANEL, DR LARA GREAVES, MARG JOINER AND BEN THOMAS. PLUS, THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA IS DRIVING A YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. HEALTH RESEARCHER DR SAMANTHA MARSH ASKS WHY WE'RE DOING ALMOST NOTHING ABOUT IT. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. I'M JOINED NOW BY OUR PANEL. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AT VICTORIA UNIVERSITY DR LARA GREAVES, MARG JOINER, WHO IS A PARTNER AT GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AGENCY SENATESHJ, AND PR CONSULTANT BEN THOMAS WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR NATIONAL MINISTERS. TENA KOUTOU, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAMME, EVERYBODY. WE JUST SAW BRIAN HENRY TALKING ABOUT GLORIAVALE. THE KEY POINT I THINK IS ` WHY IS IT A BUNCH OF HIGHLY-QUALIFIED LAWYERS DOING CHARITABLE WORK WHEN THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES DON'T SEEM TO BE ACTING ON THIS, LARA? YEAH, AND I DEFINITELY FEEL FOR THOSE YOUNG WOMEN, BECAUSE THINKING ABOUT IT, COMING OUT OF THAT CULT-LIKE SITUATION AND ENTERING THAT 'REAL WORLD', AND HAVING HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE POTENTIALLY TRAUMATISED AND WITH INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA, AND LOTS OF ISSUES AND SUPPORT NEEDS, IN EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT AND JUST PSYCHOLOGICALLY. SO YEAH, GOOD ON THAT WORK FOR REALLY CENTERING THOSE SURVIVORS AND THEIR NEEDS. STILL 350-ODD KIDS IN SCHOOL THERE, LOOKING AT THE PRIVATE SCHOOL, SO THIS ISSUE IS ONGOING, MARG. IT IS ONGOING, AND YET THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF IT COMES AND GOES. SO I'D LIKE TO COMMEND YOU FOR COVERING IT. BECAUSE I THINK WHILE THE MEDIA COVERAGE COMES AND GOES, THE POLITICAL WILL TO DO SOMETHING COMES AND GOES; THE ISSUE IS STILL THERE. YEAH, OK. WE'LL SEE WHAT BRIAN HENRY DOES NEXT. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE POLITICS OF THE YEAR. NEW ZEALAND FIRST; WE HAVE JUST SEEN WINSTON PETERS REVVING UP THE CROWD. MARG, YOU'VE STUDIED WINSTON PETERS QUITE A BIT. CLASSIC WINSTON? YES. HE WILL, AS YOU'VE SEEN THERE, CAMPAIGN ON EXPERIENCE. I THINK IN THIS CURRENT SETTING, THAT WOULD BE SENSIBLE, WHERE WE HAVE QUITE A LIGHT DEPTH IN BOTH MAJOR PARTIES. THEY'RE SITTING IN THE EARLY TO MID-30S. THERE IS CERTAINLY... RHETORIC OUT THERE THAT MIGHT RESPOND WELL TO HIS COMMON SENSE, CONSISTENCY, PLAYING TO THE NOSTALGIC, ORDINARY NEW ZEALANDER THAT IS LOOKING AT THE MAJOR PARTIES AND MAY RESPOND WELL TO THAT. BUT IS THERE SPACE, BEN, FOR WINSTON PETERS? HE HAS BEEN ON A SPEAKING TOUR. HE SEEMS TO BE ATTRACTING SOME ANTI-VAXXERS THERE. DO YOU THINK THERE IS SPACE FOR WINSTON NOW THAT ACT HAS SORT OF RISEN UP WHILE HE'S BEEN OUT OF PARLIAMENT? YEAH, I THINK HE IS A MAN CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, AND I DON'T JUST MEAN THE 21ST AND 20TH CENTURIES. HE IS ALSO CAUGHT BETWEEN WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY IS, THE IRASCIBLE PART OF THE ELECTORATE, THE MORE CONSERVATIVE, REACTIONARY PART OF THE ELECTORATE, BUT WHO ARE LESS FRINGE, AND I THINK ACT, PARTICULARLY REGIONAL NEW ZEALAND, PROVINCIAL NEW ZEALAND, ACT HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY THERE. THE RECRUITMENT OF ANDREW HOGGARD, MARK CAMERON DOING A LOT OF WORK THERE. SO I THINK ACT ARE REALLY CROWDING THEM OUT OF THAT MAINSTREAM SPACE. THEN THE FRINGE, WHICH PETERS HAS REVERTED TO, AND IS TRYING TO GET IN THESE DUSKY HALLS, HE IS FACING A LOT OF COMPETITION FROM INNUMERABLE CONSPIRACY PARTIES THERE. AND I JUST DON'T THINK THERE IS ROOM FOR HIM. SO HE IS POLLING AT 3% AT THE MOMENT, LARA. CAN WE SAY THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH, HE'S NOT GONNA COME BACK? I THINK IT'S UNLIKELY THAT HE'S GONNA COME BACK, BUT THERE IS STILL THAT OUTSIDE CHANCE. I THINK IN TERMS OF THE POLLS, THERE IS AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU COULD MAKE AROUND THE CONSTITUENCY HE IS TRYING TO TARGET, AND THE FACT THAT WHEN THEY'RE CALLED BY A POLLSTER, THEY'LL GO, 'AGH, GRUMPY', HANG UP, KIND OF IDEA. YOU KNOW? IT IS LIKE THE SHY TORIES PHENOMENON IN OTHER COUNTRIES, WHERE IT'S LIKE, THE PARTY THAT'S A BIT MORE STIGMATISED, YOU'RE LESS LIKELY TO SAY, 'I'M VOTING FOR THEM.' HE HAS EVEN TRIED TO BAN POLLS IN THE PAST. BUT YOU SECRETLY DO TICK THEM, DO YOU? (LAUGHS) YEAH, LIKE THAT KIND OF THING. SO YEAH, IT IS PROBABLY BETTER TO ASK THE QUESTION, 'DO YOU THINK YOUR NEIGHBOUR WOULD VOTE FOR NEW ZEALAND FIRST?' I AGREE WITH BEN THAT THERE IS MAYBE NOT ENOUGH ROOM, WE HAVE NEVER IN HISTORY BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN MANY MINOR PARTIES IN THAT GROUP. BUT THERE IS GROWING RESEARCH BOTH HERE AND OVERSEAS SHOWING DECLINING TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS. AND NEW ZEALAND FIRST IS GENUINELY AN ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT PARTY, BEEN OUT OF PARLIAMENT. SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM IN THAT` IT'S AN ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT PARTY LED BY THE FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND, WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLOSING THE BORDER AS MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. RIGHT, SO YOU THINK IT'S A BIT PARADOXICAL? I THINK LEANING INTO THE PANDEMIC SCEPTICS IS A VERY HIGH DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR PETERS RIGHT NOW. IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLING, THE MAJOR PARTIES ARE IN THE LOW 30S, AND THE MINOR PARTIES ARE HAVING A BIT OF A SURGE, LARA. IS THERE SCEPTICISM ABOUT THE MAJOR PARTIES, AND NOT REALLY APPEALING, AND WE HAVE QUITE A LOT OF UNDECIDEDS? YEAH, SO I HAD THIS GRAPH IN CLASS. TOGETHER, THE MAJOR PARTY VOTE OVER THE YEARS` FIRST WE HAD GOT MMP, AND EVERYONE WAS LIKE, 'OH, MINOR PARTIES, WE'LL VOTE FOR THEM', AND WE SAW THIS DECLINE, AND NOW THE MINOR PARTIES ARE STARTING TO COME BACK. ACT AND THE GREENS ARE THE BIG MINOR PARTIES. AND THEN WE'VE GOT THESE MINOR, MICRO-PARTIES, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM, BUT I THINK ALSO THERE HAS BEEN A BIT OF A GENERATIONAL SHIFT. PEOPLE UNDERSTAND MMP A LOT BETTER, INCREASINGLY SO. IT'S BEEN 30 YEARS. THE MILLENNIALS ARE NOW 40, AND WE KIND OF KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT. SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE USED TO MMP. YOU WOULD THINK THE MINOR PARTIES HAVE HOPEFULLY LEARNED FROM PAST MISTAKES, AND ARE APPLYING THOSE LESSONS TOO, COMING UP TO THE 10TH MMP ELECTION, THAT'S QUITE POSSIBLE. BUT WE SAW IT WAY BACK AT WAITANGI DAY, WE SAW THEN A PRONOUNCED STEALING OF THE SHOW OF THE MINOR PARTIES, AND AN UNDERWHELMING PERFORMANCE FROM THE MAJOR ONES. AND WE'RE SEEING IT PLAY OUT NOW. LET'S TALK ABOUT A MAJOR PARTY, LABOUR THIS WEEK, BEN. THEIR SLOGAN 'IN IT FOR YOU'. ARE YOU A FAN? THERE HAS BEEN A LOT MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THEIR SLOGAN THIS ELECTION, AND I THINK THAT IS BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY MISSED THE MARK WITH IT. IT DOESN'T FEEL AS ORGANIC AS 'LET'S DO THIS'. IT DOESN'T CAPTURE A MOMENT. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THAT LASER-LIKE FOCUS ON THE MEDIAN VOTER AND THEY PROBLEMS THEY ARE DEALING WITH. BUT THE ISSUE IS NOT THE SLOGAN. IT IS THEIR POSITIONING OVER THE YEARS. THEIR STRATEGISTS AND MEDIA PEOPLE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST WEEK, IT WAS SORT OF STOMACH-CHURNING IRONY CALLING THIS 'LAW AND ORDER WEEK.' LAUGHS: YEAH. AND THESE SORT OF VERY BELATED ANNOUNCEMENTS, 90 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION, ABOUT CRACKING DOWN ON CRIME AND GETTING TOUGH ON CRIME. AND THE DELIVERY OF THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS, WILL THAT BE HARMFUL, LARA? AND THE DELIVERY OF THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS, I THINK WE WERE BOTH LIKE, 'YEAH, THE DELIVERY. AWKWARD.' I DON'T KNOW. I THINK WE POSSIBLY OVER-ANALYSED THAT. I THINK THE VOTERS IN THE MAIN WILL SEE SOMETHING BEING DONE ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS WRONG, AND THAT'LL GO DOWN FAIRLY WELL. BUT I DO GO BACK TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE BOTH UNDERWHELMING, IT IS HARD TO PUT YOUR FINGER ON WHY THEY ARE BOTH SITTING IN THE LOW TO MID-30S, BUT IT IS SOMETHING TO NOTE. AND I THINK IT WILL BE HARD TO COME BACK. SO I THINK MEGAN WOODS AS CAMPAIGN MANAGER, AND CHRIS BISHOP ON THE OTHER SIDE, HAVE A REALLY HARD JOB TO WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF VOTERS. NATIONAL IS WINNING THE RACE IN TERMS OF THE DONATIONS. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S COMING IN IN MAJOR DONATIONS SO FAR THIS YEAR, $1.6M` I THINK $400,000 FOR NATIONAL THIS WEEK. AND LABOUR'S AT THE OTHER END. IT'S LIKE, 400,000 GRAND` IS THAT RELEVANT, BEN? BECAUSE NATIONAL HAS A LOT TO SPEND, BUT ARE THEY GETTING BANG FOR THEIR BUCK? AND LABOUR'S TRAILING DOWN THE OTHER WAY. IF YOU COULD BUY ELECTIONS IN NEW ZEALAND, AND MONEY EQUALLED SUCCESS, WE WOULD HAVE A COALITION GOVERNMENT OF KIM DOTCOM, GARETH MORGAN AND COLIN CRAIG. (LAUGHS) THAT'S A SCENARIO! AND, SO` IN THE MARGINS, AND LOOK, IN A VERY COMPETITIVE, TIGHT RACE BETWEEN TWO PARTIES THAT ARE POLLED VERY SIMILARLY, THEN IT CAN GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF AN EDGE, BUT REALLY WHAT IT IS IS AN INDICATOR OF THE BETTING MARKETS. IT IS ALMOST SAYING THERE IS A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE OUT THERE THAT NATIONAL AND ACT HAVE GOT A SNIFF THIS TIME. I THINK COURAGE AND IMAGINATIVE IDEAS TAKE YOU FURTHER THAN DONATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND POLITICS. I AGREE WITH BEN. THAT IS SOMETHING YOU PUSHED MEGAN WOODS ON, IN TERMS OF BEING SAFE. AND I THINK BOTH MAJOR PARTIES ARE BEING TIMID. THAT'S SOMETHING SIR ROGER DOUGLAS CALLED OUT. YEAH, WHAT DO YOU THINK. A SAFE, CAUTIOUS CAMPAIGN, NO BIG IDEAS, LARA, IS THAT HOW YOU ARE READING IT? YES, VERY INTERESTING LETTER, THAT ONE. DEFINITELY ENJOYED READING THAT THIS WEEK. I THINK EVEN GOING BACK TO THAT SLOGAN, 'IN IT FOR YOU', IMPLYING THAT NATIONAL IS NOT, IT IS SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE. IT'S STILL LIKE, LABOUR NOT NATIONAL; NATIONAL, NOT LABOUR, AND IT'S` I THINK EVERYONE IS A BIT TIRED AFTER COVID, AND WE'RE LIKE, WHAT IS THIS CAMPAIGN REALLY GOING TO BRING? IS IT GOING TO BE MEMORABLE? IT'S SO CLOSE! 'BACK ON TRACK', IS THAT MEMORABLE? 'BACK ON TRACK' IS ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD SLOGAN IN THE SENSE THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE POLL, THE PARTIES ARE NECK AND NECK. CHRISTOPHER LUXON, NOT GREAT PERSONAL POLLING COMPARED TO CHRIS HIPKINS OVER THE LAST SORT OF SIX AND SEVEN MONTHS, BUT WHERE THE POLLING IS REALLY DECISIVE IS THAT RIGHT TRACK, WRONG TRACK POLLING. YEAH, TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT. YOU'RE BASICALLY PLUGGING IN THE SLOGAN AND SAYING WHAT'S ALREADY ON PEOPLE'S MIND, WHICH IS THAT THE COUNTRY IS ON THE WRONG TRACK. IT'S A BLEAK VIBE. A BLEAK VIBE. A BLEAK VIBE. THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO END IT, A BLEAK VIBE. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO END IT THERE, WITH YOUR 'BLEAK VIBE' COMMENT. THANK YOU, LARA, THANK YOU, MARG, AND THANK YOU, BEN. E WHAI AKE NEI ` EVIDENCE IS PILING UP. SCREENTIME IS HARMING OUR KIDS. THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL HAS BLOWN THE WHISTLE. SO WHY AREN'T WE DOING ANYTHING? PLUS, WHICH MP WAITED UNTIL HER HUSBAND WAS ON HOLIDAY OVERSEAS BEFORE STANDING FOR ELECTION? FIND OUT ON BACKSTORY. THERE WAS A STARK WARNING ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON KIDS EARLIER THIS YEAR; THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL BLAMING IT FOR A NATIONAL YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. THE RESPONSE HERE ` PRETTY MUTED. AND THAT HAS UPSET HEALTH RESEARCHER DR SAMANTHA MARSH. SHE SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA SHOULD BE TREATED JUST LIKE ANOTHER ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCE, PERHAPS ` TOBACCO. SHE JOINS ME NOW. TENA KOE, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. MANY STUDIES HAVE REVEALED THAT SOCIAL MEDIA NEGATIVELY IMPACTS ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH. WHY IS THE SURGEON GENERAL'S ONE SO DIFFERENT? USUALLY IN THE MEDIA, WE WILL SEE A REPORT ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL STUDY, OR MAYBE THEY'LL GET AN ACADEMIC OR PSYCHOLOGIST TO DISCUSS THE TOPIC, AND YOU GET ONE LITTLE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS THAT THEY LOOKED AT` IT WASN'T A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW, BUT THEY LOOKED AT, COMPREHENSIVELY, THE LITERATURE IN THIS AREA, AND THEY BALANCED... THE HARMS AND THE BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. RIGHT, SO IT IS REALLY SOLID RESEARCH, ALL-ENCOMPASSING, AND CAME UP WITH THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE IT'S A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS DRIVEN BY SOCIAL MEDIA. YEAH, SO THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD, BUT ON THE WHOLE, THERE'S A RAFT OF EVIDENCE NOW THAT THIS IS IN NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OUR KIDS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. AND YOU SAY WE SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO THIS, BUT WHEN IT LANDED HERE, NOT MUCH ATTENTION AT ALL. NO, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENED. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT IN NEW ZEALAND, IN THE MEDIA OFTEN, WE HAVE A VERY BALANCED APPROACH. SO, A STUDY WILL COME OUT THAT SOCIAL MEDIA HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT, AND IT IS ALWAYS COUNTERED BY SOMEONE SAYING, 'YES, BUT THERE ARE ALSO BENEFITS, SO WE NEED TO BALANCE IT.' I THINK THAT IS A FLAWED ARGUMENT NOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SAY THAT THIS IS REALLY HARMING OUR KIDS. IN TERMS OF THE WAY THAT WE DEAL WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, DO YOU THINK THAT WITHIN THE HOME, PARENTS LOOKING AFTER THEIR KIDS, THEY HAVE BEEN SLUGGISH BECAUSE IT IS EASIER TO GO WITH IT? WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE MESSAGING TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THIS NARRATIVE IN NEW ZEALAND THAT IT IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE, THEN YOU TAKE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE. THERE IS A LOT OF RESISTANCE WHEN YOU TRY TO TAKE A DEVICE AWAY. ABSOLUTELY, BUT... THERE IS A LOT OF RESISTANCE WHEN YOU TRY TO TAKE A DEVICE AWAY. WE HAVE MORE EVIDENCE NOW. WE HAVE GOOD KNOWLEDGE AND WE SHOULD USE IT TO HELP OUR KIDS. I THINK WE HAVE REACHED THAT POINT WHERE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. YOU POINT TO A STUDY IN AN ARTICLE YOU WROTE RECENTLY ABOUT THE WAY THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AT THE AGE OF 9 AND 10, CAN CHANGE BRAIN STRUCTURE, AND THAT IS NOTICED A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER. HOW IS IT CHANGING THE BRAIN STRUCTURE, AND IS IT SIMILAR TO SAY, ADDICTION? YEAH, SO THIS IS A NEW AREA OF RESEARCH WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT IT'S CHANGING THE STRUCTURE OF OUR KIDS' BRAINS. IN THAT PARTICULAR STUDY, THEY TOOK 9 TO 10-YEAR-OLDS. THEY LOOKED AT HOW MUCH SCREEN TIME THEY USED, AND FOLLOWED THEM TWO YEARS LATER AND LOOKED AT CHANGES IN THE BRAIN. THEY SAW A PATTERN OF... CHANGE IN THE BRAIN THAT WAS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE WITH SOMEONE WHO STARTS DRINKING ALCOHOL AT A YOUNG AGE, WHICH IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT. NOT ONLY THAT THAT STRUCTURAL CHANGE IN THE BRAIN EXPLAINS SOME OF THE IMPACTS WE HAVE SEEN ON ANXIETY ` INCREASED ANXIETY. IT BEGAN TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT RESEARCH WAS SUGGESTING WAS HAPPENING. RIGHT, IN A PHYSICAL CHANGE IN THE BRAIN STRUCTURE. SOCIAL MEDIA IS INTEGRATED INTO OUR DAILY HABITS. TWO HOURS, 15 IS THE AVERAGE APPARENTLY. SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO MINIMISE THAT? YEAH, IT'S` THINGS CAN HAPPEN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS. WE HAVE GOT THE POLICY LEVEL. FOR STARTERS, WE NEED TO INVEST IN RESEARCH IN THIS AREA IN NEW ZEALAND. IT IS NOT CURRENTLY ON THE AGENDA. DON'T WE HAVE ENOUGH RESEARCH FROM OVERSEAS? YES, BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH TO SHOW IT IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OUR KIDS, I THINK WE NEED RESEARCH TO SHOW WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP FAMILIES? WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP SCHOOLS AND EVERYBODY TO SUPPORT OUR KIDS? WHAT WORKS, BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT. DO YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT WORKS? I WOULD SUGGEST... FIRST CAB OFF THE RANK IS TO GET RID OF SMART PHONES IN SCHOOLS. THEY SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE. THESE ARE POWERFUL COMPUTERS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO BE HIGHLY ADDICTIVE, AND WE PUT THEM INTO THE HANDS OF OUR KIDS AND SEND THEM TO SCHOOL, AND EXPECT SCHOOL TO BE MORE INTERESTING THAN SOCIAL MEDIA. AND AN APP IS DESIGNED TO BE ALL ABOUT CONTINUING ENGAGEMENT. YEAH. SO YOU ARE FIGHTING AGAINST THAT. YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT BENEFITS ALSO. SO THERE ARE BENEFITS FOR SOME MINORITY GROUPS WHO FIND A SENSE OF CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY, SO YOU CAN'T TAKE THESE THINGS AWAY TOTALLY. THERE ARE THOSE BENEFITS. YOU HAVE TO BALANCE IT UP. YOU COULD SAY THERE'S BENEFITS TO SMOKING. YOU COULD SAY THAT IT HELPS TO KEEP WEIGHT DOWN, HELPS TO RELAX YOU, THAT BREATHING IN AND OUT. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING BRAINS. THIS IS A CRITICAL TIME OF ADOLESCENT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT FOR QUITE SMALL BENEFITS. FOR A VERY SMALL... THOSE ARE BENEFITS, BUT THAT SAME GROUP IS ALSO EXPOSED TO MORE HARMFUL CONTENT AS WELL. RIGHT EVEN WITHIN THAT BENEFIT, THERE IS A BALANCE. THERE'S TWO THINGS. THERE IS STRUCTURAL CHANGE IN THE BRAIN, AND ALSO EXPOSURE TO CONTENT AT THE SAME TIME. THERE IS ALSO THE FACT THAT THOSE ACTIVITIES, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ONLINE, GAMING, SOCIAL MEDIA, IS TAKES AWAY FROM THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW CHILDREN NEED TO MAKE DEVELOPMENTAL LEAPS INTO ADULTHOOD. WHAT COULD THE GOVERNMENT DO? IF YOU FOLLOW THE TOBACCO ARGUMENT, IS TO PLACE HEALTH WARNINGS. WHAT COULD THE GOVERNMENT DO? YOU WOULD WANT TO QUESTION HOW WELL THOSE WARNINGS WORK. ARE YOU SAYING THEY DON'T? THEY NEED TO BE... IT IS A GOOD PLACE TO START FOR PARENTS TO SEE THAT, BUT WHETHER THAT WILL CHANGE BEHAVIOUR OR NOT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW. IT HAS TO BE A WHOLE RAFT OF THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN TO SUPPORT THAT. AND GETTING THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES ON BOARD TO SHARE DATA ABOUT WHO THEY ARE TARGETING, HOW BROAD IT IS, SO YOU CAN ANALYSE IT, THAT IS A HARD TASK, A HARD ASK. IT'S A HARD ASK. YOU COULD GO BACK TO TOBACCO COMPANIES, AND HOW DID THAT WORK FOR THEM? HOW DO THEY BENEFIT US? I GUESS ON THE OTHER SIDE IS ` WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE IF WE CARRY ON THE WAY WE ARE? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR OUR RANGATAHI? AGAIN, IT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER. I CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT WE CAN LOOK TO THE RESEARCH THAT IS THERE NOW. WE CAN ALSO LOOK BACK AT HOW OUR CHILDREN WERE BEFORE THIS TIME. AND THEY WERE FINE. WE DON'T NEED SOCIAL MEDIA AND ACCESS TO ALWAYS BEING ONLINE AND CONNECTED. WE DON'T NEED THAT TO THRIVE. WHAT DO WE WANT FOR OUR KIDS? I THINK EVERY PARENT SHOULD ASK THEMSELVES, 'WHY DOES MY KID NEED SOCIAL MEDIA?' WE'LL LEAVE THAT QUESTION OUT THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, DR SAMANTHA MARSH. WE ASKED ALL THE HEALTH SPOKESPEOPLE OF ALL FIVE PARTIES CURRENTLY IN PARLIAMENT ABOUT WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO IN THIS AREA. ACT'S BROOKE VAN VELDEN SAID PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S UPBRINGING AND SHOULD SET GOOD EXAMPLES. LABOUR'S AYESHA VERRALL SAID SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS OFFER CONNECTION AND THAT SOCIAL MEDIA ISN'T INHERENTLY GOOD OR BAD, IT'S JUST A TOOL. RICARDO MENENDEZ MARCH SAYS THE GREENS ARE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE SURGEON GENERAL'S REPORT, AS WELL AS MEASURES TO GIVE CHILDREN GREATER SAFETY AND INDEPENDENCE IN THEIR NEIGHBOURHOODS SO THEY CAN SPEND MORE TIME WITH THEIR REAL-LIFE PEERS. NATIONAL'S MATT DOOCEY SAYS HIS PARTY WOULD ESTABLISH A STAND-ALONE MENTAL HEALTH MINISTER, AND TE PATI MAORI'S DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER WOULD LIKE BETTER DIGITAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, AND A SOLUTION LED BY RANGATAHI THEMSELVES. KIA PAKU WHAKATA TATAU. STAY WITH US, WE'RE BACK AFTER THE BREAK. WELCOME BACK TO BACKSTORY, WHERE WE TAKE YOU INSIDE THE HOMES, FAMILIES AND PHOTO ALBUMS OF OUR MPs. IT'S ONE PF MY FAVOURITE PARTS OF THE SHOW. TODAY, THE LEFTY MP WHO DIDN'T TELL HER RIGHT-WING DAD SHE WAS STANDING FOR LABOUR, LEAVING HIM TO DISCOVER IT IN THE NEWSPAPER. IT'S LABOUR MP ANNA LORCK. HERE IS HER BACKSTORY. I WAS BORN IN PALMERSTON NORTH ON THE 22nd OF AUGUST 1971. MUM WAS A SINGLE MUM. SHE GREW UP IN WAIPUKARAU, AND WE RETURNED TO WAIPUKARAU WHEN I WAS ABOUT 18-MONTHS-OLD, MOVED INTO A STATE HOUSING AREA WHERE MUM AND I LIVED. I THINK I TALKED A LOT. I THINK I WAS ALWAYS CURIOUS. I LOVED DOING SHOWS. I WOULD DRESS UP MY BROTHERS IN BALLERINA COSTUMES. I JUST USED TO LOVE HAVING A BIG IMAGINATION. THE WAY I LEFT SCHOOL HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON ME. I CAN REMEMBER THE DAY QUITE CLEARLY. MAYBE I WAS BEING A BIT DISTRACTIVE, WHICH I CAN` OR DISRUPTIVE, WHICH I PROBABLY CAN. BUT SOMETHING CAME UP ABOUT BEING MEDIOCRE, AND HE SAID, 'IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT MEDIOCRE LOOKS LIKE, 'YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK PAST ANNA.' AND I CAN REMEMBER THINKING, 'DID HE` DID HE REALLY SAY THAT ABOUT ME?' I CAN REMEMBER BEING REALLY UPSET, BUT ALSO THINKING, 'IS THAT` AM I?' SO I WENT HOME, AND I SAID TO MUM AND DAD THAT I DON'T THINK I CAN FINISH SCHOOL, AND I THINK I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK. SO I STARTED MY CAREER AS A CADET REPORTER. THEN I GOT MARRIED AND HAD TABITHA, AND THEN I WORKED PART-TIME AS A YOUNG MUM RAISING THREE CHILDREN. IF SOMEBODY HAD ASKED ME A DECADE AGO, 'DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE THE LOCAL MP FOR TUKITUKI?' I WOULD HAVE NEVER DREAMED THAT THAT'S WHERE I WOULD BE TODAY. AND SO I JOINED THE LABOUR PARTY. AFTER THE FIRST ELECTION I THINK PEOPLE THOUGHT I WOULD JUST GIVE UP, AND THEN CAME BACK IN 2020 AND TOOK THE SEAT. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE FEELING TO FINALLY GET THERE, TO MY GIRLS WHO, WHEN I STARTED, I DON'T THINK ANYONE REALLY KNEW WHAT WE WERE GETTING INTO. AND THEY HAVE CAMPAIGNED AND BEEN PART OF IT FOR A DECADE. I DON'T REMEMBER A LIFE WITHOUT POLITICS. WHEN I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO JOIN THE LABOUR PARTY, I ACTUALLY WAITED UNTIL DAMON, MY HUSBAND, WENT ON A SURFING TRIP OVERSEAS. I DIDN'T MENTION IT TO HIM AT ALL. I DIDN'T TELL DAD BECAUSE DAD EVEN PUT HIMSELF FORWARD TO STAND FOR THE ACT PARTY, SO HE WAS A VERY STAUNCH NATIONAL SUPPORTER. HE READ IT IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT I'D BEEN SELECTED, AND HE RANG ME AND SAID, 'I WILL NEVER GO TO YOUR MAIDEN SPEECH.' ...WILL STAND AS A HARD WORKING CONSTITUENT MP WHO IS FAR FROM MEDIOCRE. HE WAS THERE FOR MY MAIDEN SPEECH IN 2020, AND IT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL MOMENT. I THINK UNDERNEATH IT ALL, HE KNOWS WHY I DID IT. WHAT'S THAT? (LAUGHS) THAT'S YOU. BUT WHAT HAVE I GOT ON? STRAPS. HALTER? YES. SO I COULDN'T RUN AWAY? I TOOK YOU TO CRICKET LIKE THAT, AND YOU COULD RUN AROUND WHILE AT CRICKET, AND I COULD JUST HAUL YOU BACK IN. OH, GREAT. I DON'T THINK YOU'D BE HAULING ME BACK IN NOW. IMAGINE IF THAT WAS OUT ON` IMAGINE IF I DID THAT TO THE GIRLS? I WAS THE WAIPUKARAU SHOW QUEEN. IT WAS AN HONOUR TO GO AND REPRESENT MY DISTRICT BACK THERE. FAMILY IS SUCH A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE. SUPERSTAR MUM. WE DO EVERYTHING TOGETHER, AND AS I LOOK OVER THE PHOTOS AND WHAT WE'VE DONE, CAMPAIGN AFTER CAMPAIGN, AND FROM A YOUNG AGE, THEY'VE ALL BEEN INVOLVED. BUT TO ACTUALLY BE IN THERE AND BEING PART OF IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE ABSOLUTELY THRIVED. I'VE LOVED IT, AND EVERY SINGLE TIME I CAN EVER SAY ANYTHING IN THE HOUSE, I ALWAYS BRING IT BACK HOME TO HAWKE'S BAY AND TO TUKUTUKI. THAT'S ALL FROM US FOR NOW, THANKS FOR WATCHING. NGA MIHI NUI, WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEKEND. CAPTIONS BY KATE MCCULLOUGH AND KATE HARRIS. 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