The Panel with Rajorshi Chakraborti and Jo McCarroll (Part 1)

The Government is to scrap a benefit sanction that saw solo mothers penalised by up to $28 a week if they didn't name the father of their child. Removing the sanction will cost $113.4 million over four years and comes into effect on April 1, 2020. The amount beneficiaries can earn in paid work, before their benefit is cut, is to increase - for the first time in 20 years. The Government has announced a $95 million dollar boost in spending on teacher training over the next 4 years. The teacher shortage has seen the Government bring in 354 teachers from overseas. Andrea Milligan of Victoria University's School of Education has concerns about the quality of teachers the country will end up with. A spat has broken out between the Labour MP Willie Jackson and National's Paula Bennett. In Parliament, Mr Jackson pretty much said that Mrs Bennett isn't Māori enough. He said she doesn't know if she's a Māori. Broadcaster and Māori language advocate Stacey Daniels has a go at explaining what makes a person Māori enough. More business that sell out-of-date stock are springing up online and as bricks and mortar outlets. Love Food Hate Waste reports that New Zealanders throw away 157,389 tonnes of food every year. Are you ok with consuming something that's theoretically expired?