Opposition leader Christopher Luxon is joining Newstalk ZB morning host Kerre Woodham in the studio for an hour of talkback this morning.
The National Party leader will be on air from 10am.
With just two months before the general election National has vowed to ban students from using their phones at school if elected to government.
Yesterday, Luxon told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast the passing of the no phones in classrooms regulation was a “logical common sense” step.
”We will pass it but schools have to implement it. It is important because phones are a major distraction.”
Luxon said there was research that showed student performance improved a lot including for underperformers if phones were not being allowed to use while in class.
”What Labour are doing is not working. Half of our 16-year-olds are failing maths, reading and writing.”
Countries around the world had adopted the stance of not allowing phones in school, he said.
”We are behind it.”
Luxon said children could bring their phones when being dropped off by parents leave them at the reception and pick them up after school.
Implementing this policy in law would make it easier for schools, he said.
”This is logical, common sense, not political or ideological.”
In June, the opposition leader had unveiled National’s law and order policies, taking a hit at rising criminal offending.
Luxon said a “crime wave” was sweeping the country, pointing to increases in reports of violent crime and retail crime - including ram raids - in particular.
“A National government will ensure the justice system holds offenders accountable through sentences that better reflect the seriousness of a crime, denounce criminal behaviour and show the public that justice is being done,” he said at the party’s annual conference on June 25.
“We’ll also give more support to victims, put more focus on prisoners’ rehabilitation and drop the prisoner reduction target.”
New policies include imposing a new 40 per cent limit on the amount by which a judge can reduce a sentence.
Currently, judges can apply a range of cumulative discounts, including up to 25 per cent for an early guilty plea and taking into account an offender’s background and upbringing.
“However, New Zealand sets no limits on how much a judge can reduce sentences,” Luxon said.
“That means they often end up far lower than victims and the public expect, and far lower than is required to acknowledge the harm and suffering that’s been caused.”
He referenced a 60 per cent sentence reduction given to a 19-year-old who, carrying a knife, kicked down the front door of a pregnant woman, assaulted her and kidnapped another person.
“The sentencing starting point was eight years and six months, but it was reduced to three years and five months.”
Akula Sharma is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2022. She has previously worked at the Gisborne Herald.
