Simon Barnett & Phil Gifford Afternoons

The Government should commission a major review of migration policy to ensure New Zealand employers have access to skilled workers while reducing the inflow of low skilled and temporary migrant workers, a new report by the Productivity Commission says. The Commission says the Government needs to work with sectors which currently depend on seasonal workers to transition away from that reliance. It notes New Zealand has had the highest number of temporary work permits issued in the OECD, per head of population. Business NZ CEO Kirk Hope joined Phil Gifford and Tyler Adam to give his thoughts. LISTEN ABOVE

Floating hotels have been popping up all over the world in recent years, with destinations like Dubai and Qatar leading the way with increasingly innovative and outlandish structures. But this new concept from Turkish design team Hayri Atak Architectural Design Studio (HAADS) may just blow all the others out of the water in terms of eco consciousness. Not only does the luxury hotel design, which has 152 rooms, actually generate its own electricity, it also collects and reuses rainwater and food waste. Adopting the motto "minimum energy loss and zero waste," the team at HAADS have worked with numerous experts, including ship construction engineers and architects, in order to devise the project, which has been in the works since March 2020. Rotating hotel If built, the floating structure will work in a similar way to a dynamo, utilising the water current with wind turbines and tidal power as it rotates, converting the energy into electricity. Its movement is to be controlled by dynamic positioning, a computer-controlled system used to maintain the position and direction of ships, as well as propellers and thrusters. However, guests are unlikely to experience any dizziness, as it takes 24 hours for the hotel to spin a full 360 degrees. While the hotel will initially be based in Qatar if or when it's completed, the project can also be located anywhere with the right current due to its "movable feature," according to the designers. Eco-friendly concept Covering over 35,000 square meters, the structure can be accessed via a 140-degree floating pier connected to the mainland, helicopter or boat. Those who stay here can expect the same level of luxury associated with five-star floating hotels. The amenities available are to include both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa, a gym and a mini golf course. Its striking vortex-shaped roof has been designed to collect rainwater that will be reused for various purposes, including irrigation. The hotel also aims to treat any used water it produces so that it "will not harm the environment" as well as develop waste separation units "for the recycling of substances such as food waste." Fully sustainable While the project is still in the relatively early phases of the design process and there's no estimated price tag as yet, the team have set a 2025 completion date. Despite the delays already incurred due to the pandemic and the technological research required to move forward, the designers say they've already had strong interest from investors and are "hopeful" that it will be up and running on time. One of the factors they're controlling working out is the logistics that would be involved in potentially having to move the hotel to land in "case of technical failures" with the power or connection while its out on the water. If it makes its deadline, the concept will be hot on the heels of a separate Qatar project that will see 16 luxury floating hotels built specifically for the 2022 World Cup, which the country is hosting. Meanwhile Dubai's $164 million the Sea Palace Floating Resort is currently being built by Emirati ship-building company Seagate Shipyard and Sweden's Arctic Bath, a floating hotel and spa designed by architects Bertil Harström and Johan Kauppi, opened its doors in early 2020. text by Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN

Taneatua School Principal Marama Stewart has found an innovative way to combat fighting at school and absenteeism. She joined Phil Gifford and Tyler Adams to explain how Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu has helped her students. LISTEN ABOVE

Hot on the heels of claiming double honours at the New Zealand Cricket Awards for the 2020-21 season Black Caps sensation Devon Conway joined Phil Gifford and Tyler Adams for this week's Six & A Song. LISTEN ABOVE

Gareth Abdinor is an Employment Lawyer and Partner with Malley & Co solicitors. He regularly joins Simon Barnett and Phil Gifford to answer all listeners' employment related questions. Today, he joined the show to answer questions about border workers and vaccinations, guaranteed hours contracts & company cars among other things.