Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb and Banks Peninsula MP Vanessa Weenink have appeared on Chris Lynch Media to discuss the government’s decision to halt new prescriptions of puberty blockers, the latest ERO findings on phone bans in schools, concerns about Christchurch City Council transparency, and the government’s recent polling slump.

The government has halted new prescriptions of puberty blockers, calling it a precautionary step while more evidence is gathered. Duncan Webb said he did not support the pause.

“The people I trust to make decisions around what the right medicine to use are doctors who have been practicing in this space for decades,” Webb said. “The doctors and the association of doctors who help with people with trans you know issues they have come out very clearly and said that these in some instances the use of these drugs these puberty blockers is really useful gives young people some time some space to think about you know their gender issues and it helps with their mental health.”

Webb said he had “had a flood of emails from people in Christ Church and elsewhere who are absolutely distressed that this government for a political grandstand are intervening in people’s healthcare.” He added, “This is part of the New Zealand First anti trans agenda.”

National’s Vanessa Weenink, a former doctor, said she expected members of the trans community to be upset but defended the government’s approach.

“The important thing that I think is really reasonable is that anyone who is already on this medication can stay on it,” she said. She pointed to a major clinical trial in the United Kingdom that followed a report highlighting a lack of data and evidence around the use of puberty blockers in children.

Weenink confirmed she had treated children using puberty blockers. “Yes I have had children who I have worked with and their families and on puberty blockers yes puberty blockers,” she said.

She said the clinical community did not hold a single unified view. “I think that there is not clear 100 percent agreement within the clinical community around the safety and efficacy of using this medication either,” she said.

The discussion then turned to the ERO report showing clearer learning gains and reduced bullying since mobile phones were removed from classrooms, though about half of secondary students are still not following the rules.

Webb said the results were encouraging. “It is good that not having cell phones is improving learning outcomes,” he said.

Weenink said the findings were consistent with what adults already know. “Cell phones and especially things like social media and that scrolling is really addictive and distracting,” she said. “It has been a really great success and brilliant outcomes.”

Both MPs were asked about Christchurch City Council’s refusal to release a cost breakdown for the $1.36 million paid over 3 years to an environmental consultancy linked to iwi interests.

Webb said transparency was essential. “If you are going to spend public money in any given contract you should at least be able to point to what services are delivered,” he said.

Weenink agreed transparency is important but said the issue reflected the complexity of the Resource Management Act. “It highlights the complexity of the RMA and dealing with consenting processes,” she said.

The interview also covered the latest IPSOS polling, which gave the government a performance rating of 3.9 out of 10 and showed about two thirds of New Zealanders believe the country is on the wrong track.

Weenink acknowledged concerns. “Of course that is not what we want to see and of course we are concerned about how people are feeling out there,” she said.

Webb said Christchurch had remained more resilient than other centres. “Christ Church economy has not suffered house prices as well held up better in Christ Church than almost anywhere else,” he said. He argued the public no longer trusted the government. “They have come in and said we are going to fix this stuff they have not fixed it.”

The pair were also asked about coalition tensions, particularly between David Seymour and Winston Peters. Webb said their relationship was long strained. “They have had a long history of animosity,” he said.