95bFM: The Wire: Recent Episodes
95bFM
Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news & current affairs show, The Wire. Your hosts Charlie Parker, Christina Huang, Alex Wierzbicki, Joe Wickins and Casper McGuire focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Weekdays 12-1pm on 95bFM.
he Advertising Standards Authority has recently forced billboards for the weight-loss drug Wegovy to change after it was decided that the fine print on the ad was too small to properly inform viewers.
The decision by the advertising authority has revived discussions about direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising in New Zealand. The United States and New Zealand are the only OECD countries that allow this form of advertising, and the practice has regularly drawn criticism from doctors and researchers.
In 2023, the Labour government at the time introduced the therapeutic products law, which formalised the legality of direct ads, but this has since been repealed by the current government, leaving DTCA of prescription drugs up for debate.
To discuss direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising in New Zealand, producer Thomas spoke to the University of Auckland Associate Professor David Menkes.
Last week, on Tuesday the 4th of August, the NZ Bakel’s Supreme Pie Awards were held for 2026. Tuesday Wire host Alex and producer Liam went along to investigate these awards, which have established themselves as an iconic celebration of New Zealand’s favourite food. At the awards, we spoke with MC Jeremy Corbett, multiple-time winner Patrick Lam from Patrick’s Pies in Tauranga, winning apprentices Beau Corric and Dara Chhom from Euro Patisserie in Torbay, celebrity judge Gareth Stewart, and longstanding Pie Awards attendee Jeremy Wells about the awards, why the ceremony is so great, and why they matter.
This week on the Tuesday Wire...
For Dear Science this week, we chat with our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin, about mushrooms and lilliput, the surface of the sun, and laser delivered power.
For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Alex spoke with MP Tom Rutherford about the Prime Minister’s Promise for an MMP referendum, and local council amalgamation plans.
Producer Thomas talked to University of Auckland associate professor of psychological medicine Daivd Menkes about direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs.
And Alex and Producer Liam headed to the NZ Bakel's Supreme Pie Awards to chat with MC Jeremy Corbett, Multiple time winner Patrick Lam of Patrick's Pies, winning apprentices past and present Beau Corric and Dara Chhom of Euro Patisserie, Celebrity Judge Gareth Stewart, and Media Personality Jeremy Wells about the awards, what they mean for competitors, and what they mean for New Zealand.
Peptides marketed online for everything from weight loss to tanning have grown in popularity, but new testing from the University of Auckland suggests some users may not actually know what they’re injecting.
Researchers found major discrepancies between what was listed on some overseas-sourced peptide vials and what was actually inside, with some samples containing dramatically different amounts or none of the expected peptide at all.
Producer Pranuja spoke to Dr Paul Harris from the University of Auckland’s School of Biological Sciences about what his lab found, and what the results could mean for people buying peptides online. She first asked him about the peptides he tested and the results he found.
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in workplaces and public services, the Human Rights Commission is warning that New Zealand needs to make sure technological development doesn’t come at the expense of people’s rights.
Its new report calls for a human rights and Te Tiriti-based approach to AI, raising concerns around transparency, Māori data sovereignty and whether people can challenge decisions made about them using automated systems.
Producer Pranuja spoke to Sophie Bradwell-Pollak from the Human Rights Commission about what a rights-based approach to AI would actually look like in Aotearoa, and whether our existing protections are keeping pace with the technology.
This week on the Tuesday Wire...
For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s proposal for a referendum on MMP and the ACT Party’s policy of expanded powers for pharmacists.
They also spoke to Dr. Tim Welch from the University of Auckland about safety risks on scooters and how they fit into broader transport planning in Auckland.
Producer Pranuja spoke to Sophie Bradwell-Pollak from the Human Rights Commission about a Te Tiriti based approach to AI in New Zealand.
And she spoke to Dr Paul Harris from the University of Auckland’s School of Biological Sciences about his study on unregulated peptides getting imported into New Zealand.
As electric scooters become more popular in and around the city centres in New Zealand, questions are being raised over their safety and how our cities are developed for their use. While some are calling for compulsory helmet use or restrictions on zones of travel, Auckland University Urban Planning lecturer Dr. Tim Welch says the solution is more complex and involves looking at the way scooters operate within our transport networks.
To discuss the situation and what scooter safety in a more scooter safe city could look like, News Director Castor spoke to Dr. Tim Welch.
Recent trials of a new cancer drug to treat lung cancer, have showed some promising results. The research, led by Associate Professors Jeff Smaill and Adam Patterson from the Department of Cancer Sciences, along with Malaghan Institute Professor Ian Hermans, have seen a 30 to 60 percent cure rate in laboratory models of cancer.
The drug may even produce a big impact in a range of cancers beyond just lung cancer.
So to learn more about this new drug, and the long process of research before it can be made available for use, Producer Theo spoke to one of the researchers investigating it, the University of Auckland’s Professor Jeff Smaill.
This week on the Wednesday Wire...
Producer Jude spoke to University of Auckland Physics Professor, Nicola Gaston about the government’s new science investment plan.
Host Theo filled in for Manny, and spoke to the University of Auckland’s Dr Ake Nicholas, on the revitalisation of Cook Islands languages this Cook Islands Language Week.
And Host Theo also spoke to the University of Auckland’s Associate Professor Jeff Smaill about a promising new cancer treatment drug he is researching.
We’re now halfway through Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki 'Airani Cook Islands Māori language week, an opportunity to experience vibrant community events and learning initiatives designed to promote and preserve the languages of the Cook Islands.
But revitalising the languages of the Cook Islands goes beyond just one week a year. A whole range of languages exist within the Cook Islands, but linguicide perpetuated by colonial powers - such as the Government of New Zealand - have traumatised language use for generations of parents. Today, the New Zealand Government is still shirking its responsibility for the revitalisation of Cook Islands languages.
So to learn more about the languages of the Cook Islands, the linguicide they have faced, and what revitalisation means today, Producer Theo spoke to the University of Auckland’s Dr Ake Nicholas.
The government has recently announced a new science investment plan, which will prioritise commercialisation.
The plan was put forward, as prime minister, Christopher Luxon, said to “brutally commercialise” New Zealand science research.
The focus of research will be around four areas of priority, which will be Technology for Prosperity, Primary Industries and Bioeconomy, Environment Sustainability and Resilience and Healthy People and a Thriving Society.
Through the new plan, investments into the, technology for prosperity, pillar will gradually increase as a way of investing in areas with “more potential”.
To learn more about how the science community feels about the new plan, how it puts commercialisation at the front and its possible future implications, producer Jude spoke to University of Auckland Physics, Professor Nicola Gaston.
On Saturday the 1st of August, greyhound racing was banned in New Zealand, with the final race taking place at the Addington Raceway in Christchurch. This was announced by Racing Minister Winston Peters in 2024, following repeated failed attempts to address animal welfare issues. Now 1,400 greyhounds are to be rehomed by the Greyhound Transition Agency.
I spoke to Emma Brodie, a campaign manager at SAFE for Animals, about the importance of this moment for greyhounds and animal welfare in New Zealand.
On Sunday, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters announced the Kiwi Kids Grant as the party’s newest election policy. The grant would pay parents $5000 a year for the first three years of a child’s life, covering up to three children.
Winston Peter’s has justified the policy saying New Zealand is facing a population precipice, and the grant is necessary to stop the declining birth rate among New Zealand citizens. The policy is estimated to cost $400m a year, and New Zealand First has been unclear about where the funds would come from.
Critics of the policy have accused Peters of playing into replacement theory, which he has denied, and say similar policies overseas haven’t seen their desired effect.
To discuss the Kiwi Kids Grant producer Thomas spoke to University of Auckland Honorary Associate Professor Susan St John.
On Sunday the government announced new measures to combat increased rates of youth offending. Along with increased police presence on Queen Street, they also promised the introduction of military style boot camps for youth offenders.
Military style boot camps have been implemented several times in Aotearoa, to minimal success. They have been met with criticism for their failure to address the root issues of youth offending, and the high rates of reconviction.
The government has also met recent criticism for its cuts in the public sector, particularly for ACT party leader David Seymour’s comments that more cuts should be expected.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Tom Rutherford about the boot camps proposal and the impact of cuts in the public sector.
The government announced cancer drug funding on Monday, which was met with support from the Breast Cancer foundation, who say the funding will significantly benefit those currently struggling with cancer.
The announcement was met with some criticism, as it was a campaign promise for the National party last year, but was absent in last month’s budget. This led to some uncertainty around how the funding would be provided if at all.
Wire host Castor spoke to chief executive of the Breast Cancer Foundation, Ah-Leen Rayner about the funding, how it will benefit patients, and potential improvements for the future.
The UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, recorded that 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2023 due to conflict, violence, or climate-related disasters - a record number.
In light of World Refugee Day last week, Dr Ritesh Shah, a senior lecturer of comparative and international education in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, says that the global refugee crisis is a symptom of a failed global system.
Host Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Ritesh about the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, which provides the internationally recognized definition of a refugee and outlines the legal protection, rights and assistance a refugee is entitled to receive, as well as the global refugee crisis more generally.
Yesterday Minister for Racing Winston Peters told a select committee he would not rush a decision on whether Greyhound racing will be banned or not.
He cited the potential legal ramifications of a ban and also made the comment ‘dogs love racing.’
Wire host Caeden spoke to Campaign Manager for the Animal Rights group SAFE, Emma Brodier, about this delay in making a decision on a ban.
They started by asking about SAFE’s thoughts on Peters’ more controversial comments.
This week is scrutiny week in Parliament. This is a chance for the opposition to question relevant Ministers about the budget in select committees, and for the public to see the inner workings of government questioned in an accessible way.
Some of the headlines to have come out of this week include discussions of New Zealand failing to uphold climate commitments, supporting media, and what makes this country liveable in light of the high numbers of New Zealanders moving overseas.
For our weekly catch-up with Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March Wire host Caeden asks about all these topics.
They started by asking about what scrutiny week means.
For our regular catch-up, temporary Wire host Caeden speaks to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about scrutiny week and the high number of people leaving Aotearoa.
They also speak to SAFE’s Emma Brodie about the Government’s delay on banning Greyhound racing.
Producer Rawan spoke with Dr Laura Revell from the University of Canterbury about a new international study showing the harmful impacts of old satellites on the ozone layer.
She also spoke with Senior human rights advisor Oliver Christeller from the Human rights commission about the importance of including the ethnicity pay gap in the conversation.
For this Week’s Get Action! Producer Oto spoke to Alex Johnston from Common Grace Aotearoa, to talk about a petition of his calling for the government to end carbon offset subsidies to polluting industries.
A new international study has recently been published showing the potential harmful impacts of old satellites on the ozone layer.
The study concluded that the increase of old satellites orbiting the earth might seriously harm the recovery of the ozone layer.
This morning Rawan spoke with Dr Laura Revell from the school of physics and chemical science at the University of Canterbury about this new research.
They discuss what the state of the ozone currently is and how exactly these old satellites will impact its recovery.
They then talk about what we can expect in the short and long term and what precautions need to be taken to address these issues.
The current coalition government has decided not to implement Labour’s plans to do mandatory reporting for pay gaps with companies that have more than 250 employees.
Instead they will introduce a voluntary tool for companies to use in order to determine Gender pay gaps.
Rawan spoke with Senior human rights advisor Oliver Christeller from the Human rights commission about what this tool is and what the benefits could be.
They also talked about the Commissioners' call to include ethnicity pay gap into the conversation. They discussed the current state of the ethnicity pay gap and why there needs to be an increased focus on this now more than ever.
Green consumerism is the idea that companies will offer products that appeal to the environmentalist desires of consumers. Essentially, companies may advertise their products as more environmentally friendly or conscious alternatives, despite not providing more environmental benefits or even being more environmentally damaging.
Wire host Castor spoke to Dr Gabriela Baron about Green consumerism in Aotearoa, how it impacts people, and how to address it on both macro and micro levels.
The Coalition government is making amendments to the Resource management act 1991 through the resource management (freshwater and other matters) amendments bill. This includes changes to stock exclusion and intensive winter grazing regulations.
An OIA request shows that DoC advised against these amendments, specifically the removal of key freshwater protections.
Producer Elle spoke to Greenpeace Aotearoa Freshwater campaigner, Will Appelbe, about their response to the proposed changes. She began by asking what the amendments to the resource management act 1991 are.
The government is proposing the repeal of several speed limit changes introduced across the country under the previous government since 2020. Among these changes include the expansion of school zone speed limits to cover the full day. These changes have been criticised for their potential risk to particularly children and other young people.
The Emissions Trading Scheme is a program introduced in Aotearoa to reduce emissions in line with global standards. The program requires emitters to log and report their emissions, and limits the quantity of emissions. Emitters can sell or buy emissions units from others to allow them to emit more or less. By removing agricultural emissions, farmers would no longer be required to adhere to these requirements.
In our weekly catchup with the National party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Suze Redmayne about the speed limit changes and removal of agriculture from the ETS. Particularly, he touched on the speed limit risks to children and how the government will restrict farmers’ emissions without the ETS covering them.
Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act was introduced in 2019, designed to amplify voices of Māori within Oranga Tamariki and ensure it aligns with its obligations under Te Tiriti. Section 7AA was particularly praised upon its introduction, given Oranga Tamariki’s poor relationship with Māori historically.
Wire host Castor spoke to the University of Auckland’s Kendra Cox about how the removal of section 7AA will impact Māori within Oranga Tamariki and state care.
For Dear Science this week, we chatted to Dr. Cushla McGoverin about a potential new treatment option for polycystic ovary syndrome, and a new development in the study of pain and 34,000 year old termite moulds.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Suze Redmayne about changes to speed limits and agriculture being removed from the ETS.
He also spoke to the University of Auckland's Kendra Cox about removal of section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act.
He also spoke to Dr Gabriela Baron about green consumerism and its impacts on the environment.
Producer Elle spoke to Greenpeace Aotearoa’s Freshwater Campaigner Will Appelbe about the Resource Management (Freshwater and other matters) Amendments Bill.
The government has proposed several changes to speed limits across the country, notably removing several of the reductions implemented since the start of 2020.
Brake New Zealand is a charity that works to prevent road deaths and injuries across Aotearoa, through raising awareness and providing support for victims.
Producer Castor spoke to the NZ Director of Brake, Caroline Perry, about what the proposed changes could mean and the risks they pose to both pedestrians and vehicle users on our roads.
For the weekly catch up with the ACT Party, Wire host Sofia Roger Williams spoke to ACT MP Simon Court about taking agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme, reports about the ACT Party’s mistreatment of staff, as well as the party’s 15% of the vote goal for 2026.
She also spoke with Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Victoria University, Dr Clare-Ann Fortune, about boot camps for young people who commit serious offences.
Producer Castor spoke to New Zealand Director for Brake, the road safety charity, Caroline Perry, about the newly proposed speed limit changes.
And producer Josef spoke to Debbie Ward, the National Disability Leadership Coordinator for CCS Disability Action, about the government announcing funding for specialist schools and classrooms for students with disabilities.
Whakarongo tonu mai!
The first of the boot camps promised by the coalition government will be operating by the middle of the year.
Bootcamps are military style academies for young people who commit serious offences.
However, lecturer in forensic psychology, Simon Davies, senior lecturer in clinical forensic psychology, Clare-Ann Fortune, professor of psychology, Karen Salmon, and PhD candidate in forensic psychology, Linda Fatialofa – all from Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University – have written an article about the psychological evidence that this form of intervention is ineffective and does not work.
Wire host Sofia Roger Williams spoke to co-author, Dr Clare-Ann Fortune, about the psychological evidence behind this and why bootcamps are still being seen as a viable option.
She started their interview asking her what bootcamps are and what their intended purpose is.
The government has announced $90 million in funding for specialist schools and facilities for students with disabilities.
Disability and Human Rights groups are concerned about how this investment may undermine inclusive education and our obligations under the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.
CCS Disability is New Zealand's largest support and disability advocacy organisation.
Producer Josef spoke with the National Disability Leadership Coordinator for CCS Disability Action, Debbie Ward, about what this focus on specialist schools could mean for disabled students.
Following the revised budget plan for 2024, the government has allocated $191 million dollars over the next four years for early childhood centers. This marks a significant decrease in funding from previous years and has sparked concerns about the neglect of early childhood education.
Rachel spoke with Professor at the University of Otago, Alex Gunn, to discuss the implications of the lack of funding in early childhood education centers.
Rachel also spoke with the Excutive CEO of the Early Childhood Council, Simon Laube, to discuss their plans on how they will be assisting the early childhood centers and addressing the funding gap.
The Government’s potential changes to the Intermediate and High School English Curriculums has been raising a lot of eyebrows with teachers, academics, and people in the Arts.
Discussions about representation and consistency have been key points talked about in relation to this process.
Wire Host Caeden talks about what we know about these changes and why they matter with the University of Auckland’s Dr Claudia Roza.
In a recent study conducted by Dr Janine Swail and Dr Susan Marlow, 16 female entrepreneurs shared their experiences with starting their company. We discussed the perceived flexibility of entrepreneurship for women versus the harsh realities they face.
Rachel spoke with co-author of the “Entrepreneurship: why women quit” study, Dr Janine Swail, about the perceived flexibility of entrepreneurship for women versus the harsh realities they face.
For their weekly catch-up, Wire Host Oto spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the recent March for Nature protests, changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme and the government spending $4 Billion on fixing potholes.
He also spoke to Eru Kapa-Kingi from the University of Auckland to discuss Te Pati Māori’s calls to establish a separate Māori parliament.
Wire producer Rawan spoke with Valerie Morse from Peace Action Wellington about the New Zealand defence force being part of US-led RIMPAC alongside several other countries including Israel.
She also spoke with Neeve O’flynn from Greenpeace Aotearoa about the government’s recent decision to take agriculture out of the Emision trading scheme.
Last Saturday, thousands gathered in Central Auckland for the 'March for Nature Rally' led by Greenpeace, to demonstrate their opposition towards the government’s Fast Track Approvals bill and other policies involving environmental conservation.
Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez-March was present at the rally, alongside many of his colleagues, and for their weekly chat, he and Oto discussed the implications of the rally and opposition to the government’s environmental policies.
They also talked about the recently announced changes to the Emissions trading scheme, as well as the government’s decision to invest $4 billion dollars into a fund to repair potholes.
The Budget 2024 announcement was responded to with an outburst of protests across the motu, held in opposition to numerous aspects of the coalition government’s policies but largely focusing on the dissolution of organisations and funding dedicated to improving outcomes for Māori.
Preceding the budget announcement, Te Pāti Māori announced calls to establish a separate Māori parliament to protect the interests of Māori, based on the Kotahitanga movement originating in the 1800s.
Oto spoke to Eru Kapa-Kingi, professional teaching fellow in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland and Vice-President of Te Pāti Māori, to talk about Kotahitanga, the Māori Parliament and what that might look like.
MOTAT, or the Museum of Transport and Technology, recently opened a new exhibit, Te Puawānanga, aimed at engaging young people in science and innovation.
Wire host Castor took a look around the exhibit and spoke on-site to senior exhibition developer at MOTAT, Esther Tobin, about the exhibit and what it has to offer.
Following the Budget 2024 announcement two weeks ago, UNICEF Aotearoa has called for greater youth and family engagement in future budgets, highlighting the importance of youth voice and perspective in policy decision making.
Producer Elle spoke to the UNICEF Aotearoa Policy and Advocacy Manager Frances Cox-Wright about policy suggestions to reduce child poverty and involve youth voice in climate action.
Last week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand would reinstate its annual payment of $1 million to the United Nations Reliefs and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
This comes after the government stopped funding to the agency in January over accusations by Israel that the agency’s staff were involved in Hamas' attacks, of which reports later found Israel failed to provide evidence for.
The UNRWA is the United Nation's largest agency operating in Gaza and is the main humanitarian provider for Palestinians under Israeli bombardment.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to National Chair of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, John Minto, about the New Zealand government’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza with regards to this reinstated funding.
She started their interview asking him about the role of the UNRWA.
For Dear Science this week, Professor Allan Blackman chatted to us about a genome in tiny ferns, a retracted Alzheimers paper, and investigating success and failure.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Tom Rutherford about the March for Nature, Fast Track Approvals Bill, and the Ram Raid bill.
He also spoke to Senior Exhibition Developer at Motat Esther Tobin about their new gallery, Te Puawānanga.
Producer Sofia spoke to the National Chair of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, John Minto, about the New Zealand government’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza with regards to reinstating funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees.
And producer Elle spoke to the UNICEF Aotearoa Policy and Advocacy Manager Frances Cox-Wright about policy suggestions to reduce child poverty and involve youth voice in climate action, Following the release of Budget 2024 two weeks ago.
This weekend’s march for nature saw 20,000 people gathering in Central Auckland to protest against the Fast Track Approvals Bill. Submissions closed just under two months ago, and the select committee is currently reviewing and proposing changes to the bill.
The bill has been quite controversial since its proposal, with debate from both sides of parliament and the public on whether the potential benefits outweigh the costs.
The ram raid bill, initially proposed under the previous Labour government, has equally been met with controversy, particularly for how it fails to address the core issues of youth offending, instead proposing prosecuting those as young as 12 years old.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Castor spoke to MP Tom Rutherford about the Fast Track Approvals Bill as it moves through the select committee process, and how the current government plans to handle the ram raid bill.
Despite years of requests from tertiary education providers, workers, and students, the government’s budget announcements did not grant any new funding to support the country’s universities. The government also delivered on its promise to move the first year fees free policy to the last year of people’s degrees.
Producer Castor spoke to one of the National Presidents from the Tertiary Education Union, Julie Douglas, about what the lack of support might mean for tertiary education, how the fees free change will affect students, and how the sector will adapt moving forward.
For their regular catch-up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about the recent Budget 2024 announcement, specifically regarding the areas concerning the Environment, tax and Te Tiriti o Waitangi
For this week’s Get Action! Oto also spoke to President of the Criminological Society at Otago University Clara Donne about a petition to the government to roll back Youth Offender Boot Camps
Producer Rachel and Joel spoke to Coordinator of Peace Movement Aotearoa, Edwina Hughes, about the allocation to the military in the 2024 Budget.
They also spoke to Coordinator of Auckland Action Against Poverty, Brooke Stanley, about cuts to public services and social support in the Budget.
The Government’s 2024 Budget has proposed cuts to areas in public services and social support.
Such cuts include: removing half price public transport, removing $5 universal prescription fees, removing the treaty clause in the Oranga Tamariki law, and changes to the public housing system.
Producer Joel spoke to Coordinator of Auckland Action Against Poverty, Brooke Stanley, about these cuts in the 2024 Budget.
In the Government’s 2024 Budget, over FIVE BILLION dollars has been allocated to military spending.
Despite this being a slight decrease from the actual number spent on the military over the past few years, this still equates to over ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN MILLION per week.
Producer Joel spoke to Coordinator of Peace Movement Aotearoa, Edwina Hughes, about the 2024 Budget and her thoughts on the money allocation to military services as opposed to other services.
They started off by asking her how much the military has been allocated in previous years.
Last Thursday, the coalition government revealed its annual budget for 2024.
While the announcement highlighted the government's efforts to lower income tax and expenditure, the budget came under fire from many for what they say were cuts that would put our public services under even greater pressure, and created disappointing outcomes for Maori and marginalised communities across Aotearoa that failed to uphold the government’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez-March to talk about budget 2024, with a specific focus on the areas of: Environmental Conservation, Tax and Te Tiriti obligations.
The Budget 2024 includes cuts to funding for the environmental sector such as the Department of Conservation, the Ministry for the Environment, Environmental Legal Aid, and the Climate Change Commission.
Greenpeace Aotearoa has said these cuts provide more reason to join the March for Nature on this Saturday the 8th of June.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director, Dr Russel Norman, about the march and Greenpeace’s response to Budget 2024.
She began their kōrero asking him what parts of the Budget concerned Greenpeace the most.
Last week the government released its budget, announcing cuts and new funding across sectors. Particularly notable were the tax cuts, promised during the campaign last year to support lower and middle-income families. The government’s calculator indicates that many will not receive a significant amount of money from these cuts, with those on high incomes benefiting the most.
The budget also contained changes to fees free in universities, moving the free year from students’ first year to their last.
Additionally, before the budget announcements, the government also scrapped the first home buyers grant, a policy introduced to support New Zealanders into their first homes.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Castor spoke to MP Tom Rutherford about the first home buyers bonus, public reception of the tax cuts, and the changes to fees free in universities.
The Budget 2024 has a notable lack of funding for Māori development and cuts to Māori housing.
In response, Te Kāhui Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, has urged the government to commit to te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Tatau-Urutahi, shared leader at the Commission, Julia Whaipooti, about whether the Budget upholds te Tiriti and what it says about the government’s values.
She started the interview asking her what parts of the Budget concerned her.
For Dear Science this week, Doctor Cushla McGoverin about microbes in the baths of Bath, genetically isolated trout, and the James Webb Space Telescope.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Tom Rutherford about the first home buyers bonus and last week's budget announcements.
Producer Sofia spoke to Executive Director of Greenpeace Aotearoa, Russel Norman, about funding cuts to environmental sectors in Budget 2024 and the March for Nature in Tāmaki Makaurau this Saturday
She also spoke to Tatau Urutahi shared leader at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, Julia Whaipooti, about the Budget in terms of whether it upholds te Tiriti o Waitangi.
This week the Thursday Wire's usual host Caeden was away, so Tuesday Wire host Castor filled in.
For City Counselling this week, Castor spoke to Shane Henderson about the draft regional land transport plan for Auckland and the council’s hopes for budget announcements later today.
Producer Jasmine spoke with Dr. Hiran Thabrew about mental health funding following the Government’s budget announcement regarding investment in the I Am Hope Foundation.
She also spoke PSA Delegate Sian Dalaway about pay parity negotiations for NZ Blood Service workers ahead of tomorrow’s strike.
She also spoke with Ella Sargison from the Burnett Foundation about June’s Sweat With Pride initiative.
June is the month for Sweat With Pride in Aotearoa, where Kiwis can sign up to sweat for 21 minutes everyday to raise money for services provided by the Burnett Foundation, Rainbow Youth, OutLine and InsideOut for our rainbow and Takatāpui communities. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to the Burnett Foundation’s Ella Sarigson ahead of the initiative kicking off this Saturday!
It’s not too late to get involved - head to sweatwithpride.com to signup and support our rainbow and takatāpui communities.
Strike action by more than 290 NZ Blood Service Workers across the motu begins tomorrow. The decision follows seven months of stalled negotiations in pursuit of funding that seeks to rectify the 13-35% pay gap between NZ Blood Service Workers and their colleagues of the same job roles, skills, experience at Te Whatu Ora. Representatives of strike action have affirmed the support of the executive team at NZ Blood during this process, and have emphasised that frustrations lie around the unnecessary and harmful delays in securing the funding to solve the issue. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Public Service Association Delegate, Sian Dallaway, ahead of tomorrow’s strike.
Last week the government announced a $24 million funding commitment to I Am Hope, the foundation behind Mike King’s Gumboot Friday initiative. The $6million annual allocation is set to fund two counselling sessions for those ages 5-25 years old. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Senior Lecturer in Psychological Medicine, Dr. Hiran Thabrew, on differing strategies to address mental health investment needs.
Health outcome gaps for Māori and Pasifika suffering from cardiovascular conditions have been apparent for quite some time.
In order to address this ongoing problem, a group of researchers involved in Manawataki Fatu Fatu for ACCESS conducted a qualitative study, where they interviewed Māori and Pasifika patients in cardiovascular care to uncover the causes behind these health gaps, as well as potential solutions.
To discuss the study and its findings, Oto spoke to Senior Research fellow Karen Brewer from the University of Auckland, of Whakatōhea and Ngaiterangi descent, who conducted the study and had some insights to offer on Māori and Pasifika cardiovascular health gaps.
Last week, resources Minister Shane Jones released a draft strategy for mineral mining, aiming to double the amount of exports in the sector.
The strategy also mentioned "significant amounts of different types and grades of coal deposits" in Aotearoa, and aimed to align consents for coal to other minerals in order to increase coal extraction.
In response, the Green party has created a petition, calling on the government to completely roll back on its coal mining initiatives and to protect the natural ecosystems of Aotearoa.
For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to Green Party MP, Ricardo Menendez-March, to discuss the petition. We also had a conversation about the Defence Minister Judith Collins decision to extend New Zealand Defence Force deployments to the Middle East and Africa
The United States and New Zealand are the only high-income countries that allow unrestricted direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines, which directs advertising towards consumers rather than medical professionals.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Associate Professor of Medical Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland, David Menkes, about concerns researchers have raised about direct-to-consumer advertising and how to address them.
She started the interview asking him how direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines operates in Aotearoa New Zealand.
A South Auckland-based art exhibition opened last week at the Mangere Arts Centre, featuring the works of 10 contemporary Aotearoa artists with Tāgata Pācifica and Tāgata Ahia heritage.
Producer Ezra spoke to the Co-Curator from I-M.S Arts, Iokapeta Magele-Suamasi, about the importance of the “South-Versed” exhibition for recognising South-Auckland-connected talent.
Over $20 million in Pokie machine profits were recorded last December in the Ōtara-Papatoetoe, Manurewa and Mangere-Ōtāhuhu local board areas of Auckland.
Producer Ezra spoke to Senior Lecturer of Education at the University of Auckland, Dr Analosa Veukiso-Ulugia, about the impact these figures highlighted of gaming machines in South Auckland.
A new study of European Beech forests has discovered the impact of the summer solstice as a “celestial cue” on the species’ mast seeding production. This discovery may assist in efforts to protect biodiversity in Aotearoa, due to its relevance to our species of native southern beech, which comprises nearly half of our remaining native forest. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Emeritus Professor and co-author of this research, Dave Kelly, on how this discovery can support conservation work here in Aotearoa.
Users are continuing to boycott celebrities on social media following the beginning of #Blockout2024. The activist movement was sparked by a peak in digital audiences’ frustrations surrounding the concurrent platforming of wealth and celebrity at the MET Gala alongside scenes of humanitarian devastation in Gaza. The parallel has been described by many as uncomfortably close to dystopian narratives such as Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Media and Communications expert, Dr. Sabrina Moro, to further understand the social impact of the #Blockout2024 movement
Last week, New Caledonia became the site of widespread civil unrest and mass riots. Protests erupted in response to a decision made by the French government to grant voting rights to residents of New Caledonia who had been residing on the Island for at Least 10 years, overturning a previous constitutional amendment that only permitted the Island’s indigenous Kanak population and residents residing on the Island before 1998 to vote in local elections.
New Caledonia’s Indigenous Kanak people, who have largely resisted French rule and have campaigned for independence for several generations, said that the constitutional amendment would undermine their push for independence and give greater preference to newer French settlers.
Oto spoke to Professor Yvonne Underhill-Sem, a professor of Pacific studies at the university of Auckland, to discuss the context behind the current unrest, and the Kanak independence movement as a whole.
The coalition government recently introduced legislation aimed at rolling back the establishment of Maori wards in local constituencies, requiring local councils to hold a referendum if they brought in wards without first polling residents or to scrap the wards that they have.
The Waitangi tribunal consider the legislation to be a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principle prioritising, as they say the crown failed to consult with the tribunal or Maori stakeholders, and that the move will undermine the role of Maori and Iwi in local governments.
For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to the Green party’s Ricardo Menendez March to discuss the Maori Wards rollback. We also had a chat about the recent review of Kainga Ora, as well as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s speech at the national party conference.
For Dear Science this week, Dr Cushla McGoverin chatted to us about synthetic leather made of mushrooms, DNA origami, and the colour of rodent teeth.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about the government’s recent decisions surrounding Māori wards and the future of the Waitangi Tribunal.
Producer Sofia spoke to Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo, about a report the Commission jointly released with KPMG last week, ‘Counting the Cost: Estimating the economic cost of workplace bullying and harassment on New Zealand employers’.
She also spoke to co-Tumuaki of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa, the Māori Law Society, Tai Ahu (Waikato, Ngāti Kahu (Te Paatu)), about tikanga Māori being taught in law schools regarding King Counsel’s Gary Judd recent filing of a complaint over incoming compulsory teaching.
The Waitangi Tribunal recently found the government’s plans to reinstate a rule requiring all Māori wards to go to a local referendum, is not in line with the government’s obligations under Te Tiriti.
Introduced in 2001, the required referendum was cited by many as a significant barrier to Māori representation in local government. Before 2021, there were three councils with Māori wards or constituencies. After the requirement was removed in 2021, 34 territories and 7 regional councils have Māori wards or constituencies, increasing Māori representation and strengthening the overall decision making process.
This Māori wards legislation follows a slew of similar legislation surrounding Māori representation and the role of Te Tiriti in politics, with the current government continuing to remove protections and ignore advice or summons from the Tribunal.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Katie Nimon, Wire host Castor asked about the Māori ward legislation and the government’s relationship with the Waitangi Tribunal.
Hundreds of thousands of Kiwis may not be able to heat their homes adequately this winter according to recent findings of fuel poverty in New Zealand.
Producer Ezra spoke to Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Jodi Gardner about the impact of fuel poverty this coming winter and the steps needed to move forward.
Seventy-five researchers from across the globe recorded traditional music and speech in their native language for a recent cross-cultural study comparing global rhythm and pitch patterns.
Producer Ezra spoke to Senior Research Fellow of Psychology at the University of Auckland, Dr Patrick Savage about his involvement in this cross-cultural study.
This week is Hospice Awareness Week in Aotearoa, a campaign aimed at opening the conversation around Hospice care and services. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Wayne Naylor, Chief Executive of Hospice New Zealand, also known as Te Kahu Pairuri o Aotearoa, about Hospice Care, breaking the stigma, and how to support their kaupapa.
To learn more and support Hospice New Zealand, head to https://www.hospice.org.nz/
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about New Zealand First’s proposed Bathrooms Bill.
For City Counselling Caeden speaks to Shane Henderson about continued flood recovery and new public transport funding in council’s Long Term Plan.
They speak to Dr Lida Ayoubi and Dr Andrew Geddis about the Karen Chhour/Waitangi Tribunal case.
And they speak to Dr Neal Curtis about the origins of the term ‘woke’.
Jasmine speaks with Chief Executive of Hospice New Zealand, Wayne Naylor, about Hospice Awareness Week, which is taking place this week.
For their regular catch-up, host Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about: The recent cross-party inquiry into climate adaptation, The Roads of Regional Significance Project and boosts to our defence budget.
He also spoke to Dr Ritesh Shah from the University of Auckland about an Open Letter to the UoA foundation calling for the university to divest from companies involved in arms sales and human rights violations.
Producer Rachel spoke to Senior lecturer of Critical Studies in Education at the University of Auckland, Dr Jude MacArthur, about the funding disparity for neurodivergent and disabled students within New Zealand’s education system.
It’s almost been a month since protests began at Columbia University in New York, where students established a Gaza Solidarity encampment to demand that the university divest from companies associated with the State of Israel.
With similar protests subsequently springing up at campuses across the globe, calling for universities to divest from Israel, the issue of ethical and responsible investment has become widely discussed in academic institutions across the globe.
In the wake of the international student uprisings, an open letter and petition has been sent to the University of Auckland Foundation to divest from companies that are involved in gross human rights violations and weapons manufacturing. The Letter has been signed by a number of Professors, faculty members and students who are concerned about the University of Auckland’s possible investment ties, and are calling for the University to adopt a more ethical investment framework.
Oto spoke to Dr Ritesh Shah, a senior lecturer in Critical Studies in Education and co-author of the letter, to discuss the calls for divestment to the University, as well as the current situation in Rafah, which he had also been researching.
If you'd like to sign the petition to the University of Auckland Foundation, you can find it here:
Last Thursday, parliament agreed on a motion to establish a cross-party inquiry on how Aotearoa can better adapt to more frequent and severe weather events, continuing from an inquiry launched by former Green Party co-Leader James Shaw under the previous labour government.
For their weekly chat, Oto spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March to discuss the party’s thoughts on the launch of the inquiry.
They also had a chat about the Roads of Regional Significance project, as well as the recent funding boost to the New Zealand Defence Force.
Iranian hip hop artist Toomaj Salehi has recently been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic regime on charges of ‘corruption on earth’ for his songs criticising the regime.
He is one of the many Iranian political prisoners who have been sentenced to death for speaking out against the regime.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Aida Oryantal, from Voice of Iranians about the ongoing fight for democracy in Iran.
Halal Kiwi, an app that helps people find halal foods and products in New Zealand, has been called anti-Semitic by the ACT Party for creating a pro-Palestine boycott list.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Halal Kiwi founder, Mohammed Soliman, about ACT’s claim.
She started off the interview by asking Soliman about the intention behind their initiative to help Halal Kiwi users boycott pro-Israel and pro-Zionist businesses.
On May 9th the New Zealand Nurses organisation held a national day of action 2024, with rallies across the country calling for increased public health funding. While the government has introduced measures to increase the number of nurses in Aotearoa, staffing shortages are still frequent in wards across the country.
Additionally, there are worries that the recently scrapped Te Aka Whai Ora could impact the already struggling sector, taking focus away from those who need health support most and potentially increasing the workload for frontline health workers.
In our weekly catchup with the National party, Wire host Castor spoke to Katie Nimon about the government’s approach to public health policy and how the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora could affect the health sector.
As a part of the coalition government’s cost saving measures, there are 325 proposed job cuts at the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
ACC says client-facing teams will not be affected, although, roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety are on the chopping block.
The job cuts equate to a proposed 9 percent reduction of ACC’s total workforce.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Public Service Association Assistant Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons about the cuts to roles dealing with sexual violence prevention and the overall impacts these cuts to ACC will have on New Zealanders.
For Dear Science this week, Professor Allan Blackman chatted to us about Beethoven’s deafness, the first ever vaccination, and researchers mapping a small part of the human brain.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about nursing shortages in light of rallies last week and how the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora could affect the health sector.
He also spoke to New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels about these health issues from a frontline worker perspective.
Producer Sofia spoke to Public Service Association Assistant Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons about the 325 job cuts to the Accident Compensation Corporation.
She also spoke to Professor of Disability Studies and Inclusive Education Missy Morton at the University of Auckland about a new report from the Education Hub about how schools and early childhood centres are failing neurodivergent children.
On May 9th the New Zealand Nurses organisation held a National day of action 2024, with rallies across the country calling for increased public health funding. While the government has introduced measures to increase the number of nurses in Aotearoa, staffing shortages are still frequent in wards across the country.
Additionally, there are worries that the recently scrapped Te Aka Whai Ora could impact the already struggling sector, taking focus away from those who need health support most and potentially increasing the workload for frontline health workers.
Wire host Castor spoke to the president of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Anne Daniels, about nursing shortages and low health funding in Aotearoa from a frontline perspective.
On May 13th, the Education Hub - a non-profit organisation that connects teachers with education research - released a report on neurodivergent children in schools and early childhood centres.
Gathering testimonies from 2,400 people, the report found that 15-20 percent of the population is neurodivergent, meaning they have conditions including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and anxiety.
Although the school system is supposedly inclusive, the Education Hub says schools and early childhood centres are failing neurodivergent children.
In response, it has called for more funding and a law change regarding specialist provisions or supports for children with special educational needs.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Professor of Disability Studies and Inclusive Education Missy Morton at the University of Auckland about the report, and what support for teachers, neurodivergent children, and the families of these children should look like.
Brain Tumour Support NZ is a charitable trust established in 2019 to promote awareness for brain tumour diagnoses in New Zealand. During their "Make May Better" month, Brain Tumour Support NZ has launched the “No Going Back” fundraising platform where participants can embark on fundraising challenges to support brain tumour patients and their families.
Producer Ezra spoke to Chief Executive at Brain Tumour Support NZ, Sarah Verran, about their newly launched campaigns, the importance of brain tumour awareness and the incredible work the charity is involved in.
For our regular interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court, about the government continuing the Ka Ora Ka Ako, Healthy School Lunches Programme, power shortages across the country, his comments on boycotting pro-Israel and Zionist businesses, and NZ First introducing a bill that would ban transgender people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
She also spoke to Halal Kiwi founder, Mohammed Soliman, about the intention behind their initiative boycotting pro-Israel and Zionist businesses and Co-Founder of Alternative Jewish Voices, Dr Marilyn Garson, on pro-Palestine boycotting movements and ACT MP Simon Court’s comments on the topic.
She spoke to Aida Oryantal, from Voice of Iranians, about Iranian hip hop artist Toomaj Salehi, who has recently been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic regime, and many others facing brutal oppression and human rights abuses in Iran.
Producer Ezra spoke to Chief Executive of Brain Tumour Support NZ, Sarah Verran, about their newly launched fundraising platform “No Going Back” which marks the start of their awareness month campaign “Make May Better”.
Last week, the government announced the Ka Ora Ka Ako, Health School Lunches Programme, would receive $478 million dollars in funding in the government’s upcoming annual Budget, to keep the programme running for the next two years, but at a lower cost.
We also saw Transpower, Aotearoa's national grid operator, warning of possible insufficient power generation to meet households' demand on Friday.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about this as well as comments on boycotting pro-Israel businesses, and NZ First introducing a bill that would ban transgender people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
For our weekly catch-up with Deputy Labour Leader Carmel Sepuloni Caeden asks about Celebrity Treasure Island and the potential end of election day voter enrolment.
They also speak with Councillor Lotu Fuli about the latest Auckland port announcement and if Auckland Council will call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
And they speak with Victoria University’s Dr Lara Greaves about the proposal from the Government to end election day voter enrolment.
Jasmine speaks to Co-curator of the Auckland Writer’s Festival Michael Bennett about the incorporation of Te Ao Māori and language revitalisation for this year’s programme
And this week is Rape Awareness Week, so she speaks to Imogen Stone, Acting Programme lead at HELP Auckland’s Dear Em Programme, about how Kiwis engage with this initiative to support sexual violence prevention in Aotearoa
The 2024 Auckland Writers Festival is kicking off next week, offering 200 events exploring literature, arts and culture and bringing together creatives from both Aotearoa and across the globe. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Festival Co-Curator Michael Bennett about this year’s programme, discussing incorporation of Te Reo and Te Ao Māori, alongside the importance of intergenerational relationships in this creative space.
To learn more about programme events, head to www.writersfestival.co.nz
This week is Rape Awareness Week in Aotearoa, a kaupapa that seeks to start conversations and facilitate social change for sexual violence prevention in Aotearoa. This year’s initiatives, led by Whāngarei Rape Crisis and HELP Auckland’s Dear Em Programme, focus on the theme ‘A Community of Consent’. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Dear Em Acting Programme Lead, Imogen Stone, on the importance of this movement for Aotearoa, and how to get involved.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced the government is considering removing election day voter enrolment.
A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission told 95bFM background information on what election day voter enrolment is including that:
Election day enrolment was introduced for the 2020 General Election, so there have been two elections when it’s been in place.
It means people can enrol or update their details, and then vote, on election day.
Before 2020, people needed to enrol by the day before election day.
In 2023, about 110,000 people enrolled or updated their details on election day.
Anyone who enrols or updates their details in the month before election day needs to cast a special vote.
Minister Goldsmith's reason for looking at abolishing election day enrolment included; that few countries have this ability and the electoral commission does not have enough resources to deal with these special votes.
Opposition MPs, including Green Party Leader Chlöe Swarbrick has spoken out against removing same-day voting and enrolment, stating in a Press Release “any imposed barrier [to accessible elections] is rightfully open to serious criticism of voter suppression.”
Caeden asked political scientist at Victoria University Dr Lara Greaves (Ngāpuhi, Pākehā, Tararā) about the proposal and its resulting opposition.
They started by asking her to explain the issues with same day enrolment and voting.
On April 17th 2024, amidst widespread international focus on Israel’s military operation in the Gaza strip, pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University in New York pitched tents on their campus's southern lawn, forming an encampment to protest against the university’s financial ties with companies associated with the state of Israel.
Despite a brutal crackdown on the protesting students, Columbia’s Palestinian Solidarity Encampment inspired the creation of 155 similar protest encampments in universities across the globe, with one such encampment having been planned outside the University of Auckland general library, organised by the University’s Students for Justice in Palestine group.
Despite the plans for an encampment, SJP reformatted the event to become a standard rally after the University threatened to call the police if an encampment be established, only allowing a general protest to be held as a form of compromise.
Oto attended the rally and spoke to members of Students for Justice in Palestine, as well as other students, attendees, and supporting faculty members who were there.
Earlier this week, the government announced a plan to invest $1.9 Billion dollars into corrections facilities across Aotearoa, which would be used to recruit and train staff, provide rehabilitation for inmates on remand, and the expansion of 810 new beds at Waikeria prison, which had previously been damaged during a prison riot in 2020.
For their weekly chat, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March to discuss the party’s take on the corrections investment. We also talked about the central bank’s recent Financial Stability report, as well as the Remuneration authorities decision to increase pay for MPs.
This week, Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about last week’s education announcement and the newly proposed “structured literacy” policy. Structured learning focuses on a skill building process, particularly effective for those who struggle with reading or have dyslexia.
The two spoke about the National government’s broader education focus, the structured literacy policy, and the recently implemented school cellphone ban.
Conservation group Forest and Bird made a lengthy submission to the government regarding the Fast Track Approvals Bill, detailing the organisation’s issues with the bill and their recommended changes. The bill threatens to undermine existing conservation legislation in Aotearoa, allowing projects to legally infringe on environmental protections. Additionally, despite the inclusion of an expert panel process, ministers still have the final say on all consent processes.
Wire host Castor spoke to Forest and Bird’s Climate spokesperson, Geoff Keey, about the organisation’s main issues with the bill and possible solutions to better protect the environment.
In 2022, the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act amended the Human Rights Act 1993 to make conversion practices unlawful in Aotearoa New Zealand.
A new study, ‘Conversion practices in Aotearoa New Zealand: Developing a holistic response to spiritual abuse’, highlights support needed for people wanting to escape conversion practices in faith-based settings.
Led by Director of Kaitiaki Research and Evaluation and Adjunct Professor at Victoria University, Doctor Michael Roguski, the study identified interventions required to ensure those experiencing religious conversion practices have a “pipeline to safety”.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Roguski about the study, beginning the interview asking him about his research process.
She also spoke to Lived Experience and human rights advisor, Andre Afamasaga, about how Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, provides support to survivors of conversion practices and the importance of this [from 12:00].
She asked him firstly to introduce himself and describe what his role was at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata.
For Dear Science this week, Dr Cushla McGoverin chatted to us about an orangutan treating its own wounds, beluga whales changing their shape, and a plant based bandage for burns.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about the National government’s education approach and their two main policies: “structured learning” and “away for the day.”
He also spoke to Forest and Bird’s Climate spokesperson, Geoff Keey, about the organisation’s submission opposing the Fast Track Approvals Bill.
Producer Sofia spoke to Director of Kaitiaki Research and Evaluation and Adjunct Professor at Victoria University, Doctor Michael Roguski, about his research article, ‘Conversion practices in Aotearoa New Zealand: Developing a holistic response to spiritual abuse’.
She also spoke to Lived Experience and human rights advisor, Andre Afamasaga, about how Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, supports survivors of conversion practices and the significance of Doctor Michael Roguski’s research.
Animal rights in Aotearoa have been called into question once again with tensions rising between agricultural industry players and animal rights activists in light of coalition government agreements that outline a reversal of the recent ban on live animal export. In 2021, Aotearoa took a world-leading stance in banning live animal exports by sea, phasing out the practice this time last year. The proposed repeal signals a wider conversation around animal rights in Aotearoa, from political responsibility to public knowledge and transparent practice.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Tara Jackson, Executive Director of New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society, to gain insight into the broader current state of animal rights in Aotearoa and to get her comments on the Live Export bill.
NZAVS is Aotearoa’s only registered charity dedicated to ending animal experimentation. To learn more about their mahi, and access the resources Tara mentioned, head to NZAVS.org.nz
According to TradeMe figures, rental rates across the motu are at an all time high, rising by an average increase of $50 since last year and bringing the nationwide median rental price up to $650 a week.
Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland, which remains the most expensive region of the country to rent in, has experienced a rent increase of 6.2%, bringing rental rates to $690 a week.
For their weekly chat, Oto spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the party’s calls to introduce rent controls to combat the increase in rent we’re experiencing here in Aotearoa.
We also had a chat about the government’s RMA reforms last week and the recent 1News Verian Poll.
The fast track approvals bill is a planned piece of legislation that aims to cut through existing consent processes for several future works. These developments include bridges, roads, and drilling, which each could infringe on conservation or protected land.
The bill has been met with backlash from members of the public, who up until the 19th of April have been able to make submissions on the bill as it goes through the select committee process. Criticisms and protests against the bill have continued in recent weeks, with many claiming that it undermines democracy and allows members of parliament to circumvent conservation laws or expert advice.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s James Meager, Wire host Castor asked him about the Fast Track Approvals Bill: whether his opinions have changed since the last time I interviewed him, how this bill affects New Zealand’s democracy, and the overall theme of urgency we’ve been seeing with the current government.
Last week, the government announced its plan for the next Resource Management Act amendment bill.
The Resource Management Act seeks to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources including land, water, and air.
As part of the first changes being made, farming, mining and other industrial regulations are being scrapped or amended.
In response, Greenpeace has criticised the repeal of intensive winter grazing regulations and revision of Te Mana o Te Wai, highlighting concerns for the protection of freshwater and the health of rural communities.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to the Head of Campaigns for Greenpeace Aotearoa, Amanda Larsson, about these changes, and the consequences they will have on our environment and access to safe drinking water in rural areas.
She started off the interview asking Larsson what the hierarchy of obligations under Te Mana o Te Wai are.
For Dear Science this week, Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about stoner stereotypes, technology for detecting illegal ivory, and the voyager-1 probe resuming useful communications.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s James Meager about the Fast Track Approvals bill.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Associate Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Carrie Leonetti, about a New York court overturning Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction.
And producer Sofia spoke to the Head of Campaigns at Greenpeace Aotearoa, Amanda Larsson, about the government’s amendments to the Resource Management Act.
Last week, National MP Melissa Lee was demoted from Cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio. National’s Penny Simmonds was also taken off the Disability Issues portfolio.
This comes after Lee faced criticism for her response to Warner Brothers Discovery announcing it would be shutting down Newshub and Simmonds apologising for mishandling the announcement of changes to purchasing rules for disabled people's equipment and support services.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to PhD Candidate in New Zealand Politics at the University of Otago, Michael Derek Swanson, about this cabinet reshuffle and the public response to it.
She started off the interview asking Swanson about Lee and Simmonds time in their various roles.
Last week, the High Court overturned a summons by the Waitangi Tribunal to Minister for Children Karen Chhour regarding the government's plans to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.
Section 7AA requires Oranga Tamariki by law to improve outcomes for tamariki Māori in state care and adhere to the principles of Te Tiriti.
For their weekly interview, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, asked ACT MP Simon Court about why Chhour has refused to present evidence to the tribunal.
They also discussed comments made in ACT's recent Free Press newsletter, which claimed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has “styled himself as an elite, advertising his credentials as a former corporate CEO” and described Winston Peters as having more time at the centre of Government than any other current politician and that he "becomes much more erudite once elected".
In the later half of 2023, the University of Auckland announced rent increases of more than 8% at their halls of residence. The University justified this as a necessary measure, caused by the impacts of inflation
However, students bearing the full brunt of the rent increase said the University’s decision to increase rent and subsequent explanation were unacceptable, pointing out that inflation rates only increased by 5.6%, and that the increases would make the cost of living unaffordable for a large number of students living at the halls of residence.
This prompted a number of students to form a “Students for Fair Rent”, a group advocating for rental rates at the University of Auckland to be made more affordable by matching rental rates to inflation rates and the average cost of housing in Central Auckland.
In August last year, Students for Fair Rent organised a petition on change.org that received 1500 signatures, urging the University of Auckland to lower the cost of living which the University of Auckland reportedly ignored.
Last week, on the 19th of April, Students for Fair Rent held a rally on Campus calling for a rent strike as a last resort protest against the cost of living at the halls and the University’s dismissal.
95bFM News Reporters, Shane and Oto, went down to the rally and spoke to Matthew Lee, the founder of Students for Fair Rent, as well as Green Party Co-Leader Chloe Swarbrick, to discuss call for a rent strike.
Earlier this week, the coalition government announced it would be re-introducing the Three Strikes sentencing law that was scrapped under the previous labour government.
The government plans to introduce harsher punishments for repeat criminal offenders, automatically giving the maximum sentence the third time someone commits an offence.
Oto spoke to Greens MP Ricardo Menendez about the Party’s stance on Three Strikes law, and how they believe recidivism in Aotearoa should be combatted.
They also had a conversation about the recent letter from Labour MP David Parker to Foreign Minister Winston Peters, calling for the government to officially recognise a Palestinian state.
Last week, the Independent Police Conduct Authority released its summary of police’s handling of Farzana Yaqubi’s complaints of a man stalking her, eight weeks before she was murdered in December 2022 by the same man.
The report found a litany of police failures in its handling, including that its assessment matrix did not consider all lines of inquiry.
New Zealand is one of the few countries that does not treat stalking as a crime.
As a result of the IPCA’s report and Yaqubi’s death, many have called for this to change.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland Faculty of Law, Carrie Leonetti, about current laws for stalking in Aotearoa, the importance of criminalising it, and what that could look like.
For Dear Science this week, Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted to us about underwater bumblebees, UV light for biofilm, and data analysis by Borderlands players.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s James Meager about absence rates in schools, ministry of education job cuts, and the school cellphone ban.
He also spoke to President of the Secondary Principals Association NZ and Principal of Papatoetoe Highschool about these same issues from a frontline perspective.
Producer Sofia spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland Faculty of Law, Carrie Leonetti, about criminalising stalking.
In early April, Christopher Luxon and David Seymour addressed journalists with promises of several policies aimed at reducing absences in public schools.
These policies join other policies introduced by the current government, such as the school cellphone ban and ban on disposable vapes, which hope to improve education outcomes in our schools and increase attendance.
Additionally, the government recently announced 565 job cuts in the Ministry of Education, including some currently vacant roles, in part of their larger move to cut costs across all ministries.
Wire host Castor spoke to the president of the Secondary Principals Association NZ and principal of Papatoetoe highschool, Vaughan Couillault, about these changes and how they affect teachers on the ground in Aotearoa.
In early April, Christopher Luxon and David Seymour addressed journalists with promises of several policies aimed at reducing absences in public schools.
These policies joined other policies introduced by the current government, such as the school cellphone ban and ban on disposable vapes, which hope to improve education outcomes in our schools and increase attendance.
Additionally, the government recently announced 565 job cuts in the Ministry of Education, including some currently vacant roles, in part of their larger move to cut costs across all ministries.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to James Meager about these issues, both the theory behind the policies and how the policies will functionally be implemented.
For our regular catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins spoke to MP Simon Court about pet bonds and no-cause evictions.
She also spoke to PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago, Jai Whelan, about calls to increase the accessibility of drug checking services across the country.
Producer, Ezra, spoke to Senior Lecturer of Law at The University of Auckland, Dylan Asafo, about the proposed Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill and the implication of Tiriti-based constitution on Māori, Pacific, and tauiwi relations.
A University of Otago study assessing the harm reduction behaviours of people who consume MDMA and their use of reagent testing and KnowYourStuff's drug checking service, found most MDMA consumers engage in harm reduction practices relatively frequently.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to lead author of the study, PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago, Jai Whelan, about why it is important for drug-checking services to be accessible in Aotearoa.
She started off the interview by asking Whelan about what harms MDMA can cause and how to prevent it.
This week on the Wednesday Wire;
Oto spoke to:
Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March to discuss their submission to the select committee regarding the Fast Track Approvals bill.
And,
E Tu Union Negotiation specialist, Michael Wood, to discuss E Tu’s claim against TVNZ with the Employment Relations Authority.
Rachel spoke to New Zealand’s Association of Scientists Co-President, Professor Troy Baisden, about the government’s proposed changes to coal mining provisions.
Nicholas spoke to PhD researcher at Victoria University, Finely Ngarangi Johnson about Ngaruroro, a new Māori wellbeing model.
And, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, speaks to Associate Professor in Hauora Māori at the University of Otago, Esther Willing (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Koata, Ngā Ruahine), about flu vaccines no longer being free for children under 12, or Māori and Pacific people aged 54-66.
Ngaruroro is a brand new Māori well-being.
Created to fill a gap in self-reporting well-being models; Ngaruroro ‘s development was a collaborative process.
The model includes eight key themes in relation to wellbeing;
1) Here tāngata (social and familial ties)
2) Te taiao (the environment)
3) Taonga tuku iho (cultural treasures)
4) Tinana (body)
5) Wairua (spirit)
6) Ngākau (inner-system)
7) Matea (core needs)
and,
8) Mana (authority)
Nicholas spoke to the lead author of the article and PhD researcher at Victoria University of Wellington, Finely Ngarangi Johnson (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) about Ngaruroro. We also spoke about the application of well-being models.
To find out more got to;
@tutukakakaupapa on Instagram
Multiple political parties have announced their own “free dental” policy for this election. The Greens announced their free dental policy in August, with Labour following with their own announcement for free dental for under 30s earlier this month.
Caeden spoke to the hon Dr Ayesha Verrall, Minister for Health, about Labour’s free dental policy and why they have chosen to restrict their policy to under 30s.
They then spoke to Greens MP and Health Spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March about the Green’s own free dental policy, how it’s different from Labour’s, and how they hope to implement it.
For this week’s City Counselling, Beth spoke to Counsellor for Manukau Lotu Fuli about Auckland Council’s consultation around Māori seats and the upcoming Midtown Street Party.
Bike Auckland has recently introduced Liberate the Lane, a call to introduce a cycling and walking lane to the Harbour Bridge. Today on the Wire, Beth spoke with Chair of Bike Auckland Karen Hormann about Liberate the Lane and why it’s so important.
I spoke to The Opportunities Party’s Epsom Candidate Dr Nina Su, about their commitment to honouring Te Tiriti, funding for the arts, and their environmental policy.
Arno interviewed Save Animals From Exploitation (SAFE) CEO Debra Ashton about live animal exports.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to activist, researcher, and author of 'Fear: New Zealand's Hostile Underworld of Extremists’, Byron C Clark, about a newly released documentary. 'River of Freedom', which accused of promoting disinformation.
And Ash-Rose spoke to Youthline Clinical Services Manager, Joanna Madsen, about the government's plan to send co-response teams to those who call emergency services in mental distress.
The export of live animals by sea for livestock purposes, namely cattle, was banned in recent years, coming into effect on April 30 of this year.
This ban was due to poor conditions for the animals and uncertainty over how they would be treated at their final destinations.
Some political parties want to reintroduce live animal exports this election cycle.
Arno spoke to Save Animals From Exploitation CEO Debra Ashton about live animal exports.
Arno started our interview by asking why they believe live animal exports are unethical and cruel to animals.
A newly released documentary 'River of Freedom' is being shown in several cinemas across the country.
The documentary focuses on the perspectives of the convoy who occupied parliament grounds in 2022, who in the film's own words, were “fed up with Covid-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.”
The film has been promoted on platforms like The Platform, Counterspin, and Reality Check Radio, and has been accused of promoting disinformation.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to activist, researcher, and author of 'Fear: New Zealand's Hostile Underworld of Extremists’, Byron C Clark, about his impression of the documentary, and looking out for misinformation and disinformation in the lead up to the election.
Nicholas caught up with The Opportunities Party’s Epsom Candidate Dr Nina Su for our bi-weekly conversation in the lead up to this year's election.
The Opportunities Party has released three major environmental priorities; electrifying our public transport by 2030, empowering farmers to foster bio-diversity, and rejuvenating the Emissions Trading Scheme.
During our conversation we spoke about The Opportunities Party’s environmental policies. But first, Nicholas began by covering last week’s policy focus on The Wire, human issues.
Nicholas began by asking Dr Su about The Opportunities Party’s commitment to Te Tiriti O Waitangi and funding for the arts.
In this report Lou explores food waste in New Zealand, as well as talk to Michal, founder of Foodprint over the matter.
Last week, a collaboration of climate activists and organisations across Aotearoa launched the campaign Vote for Climate, in hopes to encourage voters to prioritise the climate crisis in terms of who they vote for. The website provides a simplified guide of party climate policy, by ranking parties from best to worst in regards to their policies surrounding climate change. Currently, Te Pāti Māori and the Green Party have ranked “best”, the Labour party ranking “good”, New Zealand First ranks “bad”, and both the National Party and ACT rank “worst”. The website also lists ways for voters to get involved, by asking their local MP’s what their parties intend to do to tackle the climate crisis, and participating in the campaign.
Rosetta spoke to Jenny Sangh, Spokesperson for Vote for Climate, about the campaign and the importance of a climate election.
This week for our catch up with the ACT party Rawan spoke to Simon Court about some of the party’s environmental policies.
They spoke about the party’s proposed changes to the RMA including their shift to a property rights basis and how they plan to enforce this.
They also covered their changes to freshwater management, their proposed removal of Te mana o te wai, integrating matauranga maori and reversing the ban on oil and gas exploration
Yesterday the Green party announced their Healthy Oceans Act where they have set out a target to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
This will mean banning fishing, mining, and other harmful industries from a third of the oceans.
Rawan spoke to Ellie Hooper, Oceans campaigner at Green Peace Aotearoa about why this policy is important.
They talked about enforcement and consequences, the response from Seafood New Zealand and compared the Green’s Policy to Labour’s proposal last week to partially ban Bottom trawling from the Hauraki gulf.
That was Ellie Hooper from Green Peace Aotearoa talking about the Green party’s Healthy oceans act
Last week, one of Aotearoa’s most commonly used political online tools, Vote Compass, launched for 2023. The tool has been used for elections in New Zealand since 2014, and is the product of a collaboration between TVNZ, An academic advisory panel of New Zealand political scientists, and the data science company Vox Pop Labs.
The compass asks a series of questions about a person’s personal stance on topical issues, and then aligns their views on the spectrum of political parties and their policy.
Rosetta spoke to Danny Osborne, associate professor at the school of psychology at the University of Auckland, and member of the academic advisory panel for vote compass, about his involvement with the project.
Over 400 solar panels are now powering the school of architecture and design innovation at Victoria University in Wellington, after being installed on the roof of the building in July. The solar panels are expected to save up to 21 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide released into the environment each year. The initiative is part of the university’s zero carbon plan, which describes using the campuses as a living lab for climate action research.
Rosetta spoke to Alan Brent, Chair of sustainable energy systems at Victoria University, about the project, and what more needs to be done to make renewable energy more accessible in Aotearoa
This week our election coverage topic is the climate crisis and environment.
Rosetta spoke to Jenny Sahng, spokesperson for Vote For Climate, about the newly launched campaign urging the public to vote with climate change in mind this year.
Producer Rawan spoke to Ellie Hooper, the Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace Aotearoa about the Green Party's proposed Healthy Ocean's Act.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, Rawan spoke to Simon Court about some of the party's environmental policies, including proposed changes to the RMA, their pledge to improve the economy through affordable renewable energy, and their freshwater management policies.
Rosetta spoke to Alan Brent, Chair of Sustainable Energy Systems at Victoria University about the newly implemented solar panels which power the school of Achitecture and Design Innovation.
Finally, Rosetta also spoke to Danny Osborne, associate professor at the School of Psychology at the University of Auckland, about his involvement as an academic advisor in Vote Compass, an online tool which aligns voters' personal values with party policy.
Caeden spoke to Consent Law Reform Campaign Founder Layba Zubair about the campaign in the context of the election and year since their petition handover.
Beth spoke to Shane Henderson for City Counselling about Auckland Council’s new Flood Viewer, which allows people in Tāmaki Makaurau to view the most flood-affected areas in the city.
And Member of the Rainbow Charitable Trust Board Steven Oates about the LGBTQ+ fundraiser ‘Give Out Day’ tomorrow.
Olivia spoke to Chair of the Storylines Childrens' Literature Charitable Trust Christine Young, about the importance of children reading for enjoyment.
And Associate Professor from the Department of Marketing from the University of Auckland Business School Dr Mike Lee about Current Election Marketing Strategies and Branding.
In 2022, the Rainbow Charitable Trust’s funding initiatives raised $60,000 to go towards 13 Rainbow organisations.
This year, the Rainbow Charitable Trust will be hosting Give Out Day, four days of national fundraising that will go towards ‘LGBTQ+ community groups, non-profit organisations, events and profits’. For the Wire today, Beth spoke with Rainbow Charitable Trust Board Member Steven Oates about Give Out Day, which is set to launch on Friday the 8th of September at 7pm and will be livestreamed across the nation.
For City Counselling this week, Beth Torrance-Hetherington spoke to Counsellor for Waitakere Shane Henderson about Auckland Council's new Flood Viewer, which allows people in Tāmaki Makaurau to view the most flood-affected areas in the region.
As the election quickly approaches, politicians have been ramping up their marketing strategies. “Attack adverts” have been the central focus as of late, with both Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins weighing in.
Olivia spoke to Associate Professor from the Department of Marketing from the University of Auckland Business School Dr Mike Lee about the current marketing strategies being employed, and how they compare to previous elections.
Research has shown there has been a large decline in children reading for enjoyment. Many say the impacts of this are great, as reading for pleasure increases children’s empathy, and introduces them to ideas and experiences that are different from their own.
Olivia spoke to the Chair of the Storylines Children’s Literature Trust, Christine Young, about the importance of this issue, and what Storylines does to encourage children to read more for enjoyment.
A year ago the Consent Law Reform campaign, led by founder Layba Zubair, handed over a petition to parliament calling for a change in our consent law under the Crimes Act.
Caeden spoke to Layba about what the campaign has achieved in the past year, especially in the context of the election and the impact this law change could have for survivors.
Content warning for discussions of sexual violence during this story.
The Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) funeral grant is a payment that those eligible can receive to help pay for funeral costs.
The amount paid has not changed in 20 years, and has been criticised as being too low, not even covering the costs of a basic cremation.
The Funeral Directors Association New Zealand is campaigning for increased payments and coverage, to give those dying and their loved ones dignity.
Arno spoke to Chief Executive Gillian Boyes about the WINZ funeral grant and their campaign.
Arno started our interview by asking how much the current grant is worth and how this number came about.
Cleaners at Auckland Airport are going on strike to protest a pay increase of zero this year.
They are also campaigning for a Fair Pay Agreement, a process where unions work with companies to ensure fair pay for union members.
E tū union is the biggest private sector union in New Zealand, representing workers from dozens of industries.
Arno spoke with director Sarah Thompson to find out more about Fair Pay Agreements and how they function.
Next, Arno spoke with FIRST Union organiser Nicholas Mayne. Last week on Friday workers at the Warehouse took strike action, protesting a low wage and dangerously low staffing levels in stores. Arno set out to find out more about the strike and what can be done going forward to improve conditions for low-paid workers.
Lou reports about youth voting and its importance on encouraging civic education in young kids.
The Labour party has announced a new free dental plan for those under thirty, should they be re-elected. Josh spoke to Tim Tenbensel from the University of Auckland to get his thoughts on this proposal.
The Labour party has announced a new free dental plan for those under thirty 95should they be re-elected. Josh spoke to Tim Tenbensel from the University of Auckland to get his thoughts on this proposal.
Last week the Labour Government proposed a ban on two types of fishing methods, bottom trawling and Danish seining, from being used in 80% of the hauraki gulf.
This is a big difference from the current 27% ban.
Rawan spoke to Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Rachel Brooking about this proposal.
They discussed what the current issues during these measures are and why the ban is important. We also talked about how the ban will be enforced and what assessments are in place for the future.
Last week Dr Shane Reti’s bill to extend free mammograms to women aged 74 was brought into parliament. Currently only women up to the age of 69 can get a free cancer screeing.
Although there was no time to vote on the bill, there was a lot of promising cross-party support from Labour, National, ACT and the Greens.
Rawan spoke to research manager at the Breast Cancer foundation Adele Gautier about the foundations support of this bill, what it will mean for older women in particular and what the next steps are for breast cancer treatment
There are concerns that the recent proposals to cut arts funding will detriment prisoners’ access to such programmes. Many say that accessing these programmes support prisoner rehabilitation, and help prepare them for life after their release.
Olivia spoke to the Executive Director of Arts Access Aotearoa, Richard Benge, about the impact of funding cuts, and the importance of art in prison.
A recent government inquiry outlined that close to 800,000 New Zealanders are drinking water that is 'not demonstrably safe'. The Public Health Communication Centre sent out a survey to Aotearoa's political parties about the policies they each planned to introduce to protect the sources of Aotearoa's drinking water.
Today on The Wire Beth speaks to Research Fellow at the University of Otago's Public Health Department and Spokesperson for Choose Clean Water about the health of Aotearoa's water and political parties' plans to protect our drinking water sources.
Pharmac is the government’s medicine-buying entity, and it came under fire last year for long wait times in approving new medicines.
Arno set out to find out more about Pharmac and funding for medicine in New Zealand.
First Arno spoke with health economist Dr Paula Lorgelly about Pharmac and medicine in New Zealand, and the National Party's plans to fund 13 cancer drugs that are not available in New Zealand but are in Australia.
Next Arno spoke with Dr Kate Gregory from the New Zealand Cancer Society about access to cancer treatments in New Zealand.
Finally Arno spoke with Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand CEO Peter Dickens to find out about healthcare for those suffering from prostate cancer.
According to the latest 1News poll The Opportunities Party or TOP for short is polling around 1% of the party vote.
Despite this the party has garnered a lot of media attention and public interest for their bold policy ideas.
One of the more popular policies the Party has introduced is their Teal Card. The Teal Card has been introduced as a “Gold Card” for younger New Zealanders.
As part of the program New Zealanders over 18 and under 30 would receive free healthcare and public transport as well as a Five thousand dollar savings boost if they complete a national civics course.
Nicholas spoke to TOP’s Epsom candidate Dr Nina Su about the Teal card and TOP’s health policy.
This week on the Tuesday Wire:
Milly joins Allan Blackman in the studio for Dear Science as they delve into the fascinating world of people who have experimented on themselves.
She also speaks to Dr Shane Reti for her weekly catchup with the National Party where they talk all things healthcare in Aotearoa.
She speaks to Kerri Nuku Kaiwhakahaere of the New Zealand Nurses Organization about better working conditions for nurses.
She also speaks to Professor Nick Wilson from the University of Otago and the Co-Director of Public Health Communication Centre Aotearoa about why New Zealand's Political parties are not paying enough attention to long-term risks and potential future catastrophic risks according to the findings of a recent survey
All this and a bit more on the Tuesday Wire with Milly
For our weekly catch up with the ACT party Rawan spoke with Simon Court about some of the party’s health policies.
They talked about the party's proposed independent review of Pharmac to assess the cost-efficiency of current medical spending, looking at how they plan to undergo the review and why it is important.
They also discussed the party’s promise to subsidise private hospital elective surgeries as a way to tackle long waitlists and hospital shortages. Rawan asked about how they plan to subsidise a section of the private sector as well as what difference this will make.
The ACT party is also planning to establish a new service called Mental Health and Addiction New Zealand. Simon spoke about what this service will include and how it differs from current services.
Last Wednesday, Pharmac confirmed it would be replacing treatment Herceptin (brand name for the drug Trastuzumab) with Herzuma, another version of the drug which is equally as effective but at a lower cost. Pharmac has decided not to provide more retreatment opportunities for patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, but Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand is urging them to reconsider.
Rosetta spoke to Adele Gautier, Research and Strategic Programmes Manager for BCFNZ about the decision, and what more needs to be done to increase retreatment options in Aotearoa.
Last Thursday, The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Amendment (Commmunity Participation) Bill passed it's third reading in Parliament. The Amendment is set to reduce alcohol-related harm by allowing communities to have a greater say in their Local Alcohol Policies (LAPs).
Rosetta spoke to Karen Wright, Co-Chair of The Health Coalition's Alcohol Panel, about the importance of the amendment, and what else needs to be done to reduce alcohol-related harm in Aotearoa.
It is our second week of 95bFM's election coverage, and this week's focus is health.
Rosetta spoke to Adele Gautier, Research and Strategic Programmes Manager at Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand, about Pharmac's decision to replace Herceptin with Herzuma, but not to widen eligibility for multiple rounds of treatment for patients with advanced breast cancer.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, producer Rawan spoke to SImon Court about some of ACT's health policies, including their proposed review of Pharmac, their promise to subsidise more elective surgeries as well as establish Mental Health and Addiction NZ.
For our bi-weekly segment of Tomorrow's World where Rawan and Leilani explore current events around science, technology and the environment, Rawan looked into the increase of youth vaping and The Labour Party's proposed policies surrounding the topic. Rawan spoke to Otago public health expert Janet Hoek and The Health Coalition's Leitu Tufunga.
Finally, Rosetta spoke to Co-Chair of the Health Coalition's Alcohol Panel, Karen Wright, about The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Amendment (Community Participation) Bill, and reducing alcohol-related harm in Aotearoa.
Labour recently proposed to implement compulsory financial literacy education in schools if they are re-elected. Many have welcomed this, with National also supporting this proposal.
Olivia spoke to Massey University Business School’s Associate Dean Māori, Professor Matthew Roskruge, about this proposal, and the importance of applying a Māori lens to it.
The recession has caused the tourism industry to face many challenges, such as decreased visitor numbers. However, the industry is slowly bouncing back, with Labour’s Better Work Action Plan providing eighteen point two million dollars to the industry.
Olivia spoke to Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Chief Executive Rebecca Ingram about the state of the tourism industry, and their plans for improvement.
Research from Allianz has shown that young people are feeling the worst effects of the cost of living crisis.
Many of those worst affected by the rising level costs are students.
Recently there has been a push to implement a universal study wage spearheaded by the student associations of Otago and Victoria Universities, with support from the New Zealand Union of Students’ Association .
Nicholas spoke with New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations National President Ellen Dixon about the potential benefits and costs of a Universal study wage, as well as political asupport for the idea.
Wealth inequality, ending poverty, and the cost of living crisis are pressing issues this upcoming election.
The Green Party are the only party supporting a wealth tax and a universal basic income.
Arno spoke with Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Green Party's economic policies and their reasoning behind them.
Arno started off our interview by asking how the Green’s tax plan differs from others.
In her weekly catch up with the National Party's Dr Shane Reti, Milly speaks to him about Nationals propsal to ban phones in schools nationwide, how the National Party views Labour's decision to remove GST from fruit and vegetables, as well as discussing in depth National's most recent health announcement with the decision to fund 13 Cancer Treatment Drugs if elected.
This week on the Tuesday Wire Milly speaks to Adele Gautier from the Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand on how the organisation feels about National's decision to fund 13 new cancer treatments, none of which include any of the 14 available Breat Cancer Treatments.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, the team are joined in studio by Davide Mercadante to speak all things science, Milly speaks to Adele Gautier from the Breast Cancer Foundation about Nationals latest cancer treatment announcement, Milly has her weekly catchup with Dr Shane Reti talking about cancer treatment funding, GST off fruit and vegetables and banning phones in schools nationwide, Lou also speaks to Emma Willis associate professor of Drama at the University of Auckland about theatre education funding.
This week on the Wire Lou spoke to Emma Willis, associate professor of Drama at the University of Auckland, about the importance of theatre education funding.
As part of 95bfm's election coverage on the local economy this week, Hanna spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about the party's economic policies.
Te Pāti Māori is campaigning on raising incomes, focusing on the lower end of the income spectrum. They plan to do this by raising the minimum wage, legislating for yearly increases to the minimum wage, universalising student allowance, supporting pay equity for Māori nurses and teachers, and supporting trade unions. Hanna spoke to Takutai about these policies, including whether they would push up costs and addressing Aotearoa's low-wage economy.
The party is also seeking to remove GST from kai. While the party has long campaigned on this policy, Labour introduced a similar policy two weeks ago to remove GST from fruit and vegetables. Hanna and Takutai discussed the differences between these two policies, namely administrative simplicity and paternalism, and responded to economists' critiques of such policies.
Meningococcal is a potentially fatal but preventable contagious disease caused by meningococcal bacteria.
According to some infectious disease experts, eliminating the deadly disease is potentially an achievable goal for Aotearoa.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago Dr Amanda Cals-vig about how New Zealand could become permanently free of this disease.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins reports on the new Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission that MPs voted to establish, speaking to Establishing Board Chair Don Mackinnon and InsideOUT Kōaro Managing Director Tabby Besley.
She also spoke to Dr Amanda Kvalsvig from the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago about how New Zealand could be permanently free of meningococcal disease.
Beth spoke with Co-Director of the Public Health Communication Centre Aotearoa Professor Nick Wilson from the University of Otago about the lasting impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle six months on.
Olivia spoke to Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Auckland Pharmacy School Dr Amy Chan about how climate change could be contributing to an increased risk of asthma attacks.
She also spoke to Senior Law Lecturer at the University of Auckland Dylan Asafo about how ACT’s pledge to abolish cultural reports could negatively impact our criminal justice system.
The ACT party has recently pledged to abolish cultural reports if they are elected. Cultural reports contain background detail about the offender, which Judges refer to when determining the length and type of sentence.
Olivia spoke with Senior Law Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dylan Asafo, about the potential harmful consequences of abolishing these reports.
Parliament has backed legislation that will create a new independent entity to strengthen and protect the integrity of sports and recreation in Aotearoa.
The Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission will begin on 1 July next year and focus particularly on the well-being of participants.
First, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Barrister and Board Chair responsible for establishing the Commission, Don Mackinnon, about its purpose.
MPs also voted on an amendment that ensures representation from the rainbow community, which will be included in the legislation.
She also spoke to InsideOUT Kōaro Managing Director Tabby Besley about rainbow representation on the Commission.
Researchers have shown that climate change and global warming could be contributing to an increased number of asthma attacks, due to increased pollen in the air.
Olivia spoke with Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Auckland Pharmacy School, Dr Amy Chan, about this issue and the need for a pollen monitoring system.
BNZ’s latest research into New Zealand’s scam savviness has shown that Nine out of Ten Kiwi’s have been targeted by scams.
This number is up 13% on last year, but fortunately the research also found that only one out of ten Kiwi’s have actually fallen victim to a scam.
BNZ’s research coincides with the beginning of their Scam Savvy Week, in which the bank raises awareness around scams as well educating the public on tips and tricks to avoid being duped.
Nicholas spoke to Ashley Kai Fong, the head of BNZ’s Financial Crime unit, about tell-tale signs of common scams as well as the upcoming resources provided during Scam Savvy Week.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT party Rawan spoke with Simon Court about ACT’s recent pledge to make changes to judge sentencing policies, and where they stand on National's phone ban proposal.
Host Caeden spoke to Glen Barclay, Chair of Tax Justice Aotearoa, as well as Economist and Child Poverty Action Group spokesperson Susan St John about Labour's tax policy announcement.
Ash spoke to Able CEO Dan Buckingham about the launch of their new app Earcatch.
And for Tomorrow's World Leilani and Rawan spoke to Girl's on Ice Director Lauren Vargo about their upcoming expedition for 15 to 16-year-old girls.
The Labour Party announced their tax policy over the weekend. It included policies like dropping GST off fruits and vegetables and changes to Working for Families.
The Policy has received some support, but several organisations advocating for the eradication of poverty and tax reform say it does not go far enough to address the wealth gap in Aotearoa.
Caeden spoke about this with Glen Barclay, Chair of Tax Justice Aotearoa and the Better Taxes for a Better Future campaign which is a coalition of 20 organisations aiming to work for better taxes to grow revenue and have a fairer tax system.
They started by asking Glen if Labour’s announcement is fair tax policy.
Caeden also spoke to economist Susan St John for the Child Poverty Action Group’s position on the announcement. As they have been quite critical of it, they started by asking what the issues were.
Concerns have been raised that Aotearoa’s social welfare system has problematic aspects that contribute to hardship, such as the continuation of repayable grants that are taken from people’s benefit, which advocates say are already too low.
Olivia spoke to Auckland Law School’s Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Equity, Hanna Wilberg, about the issues with our current system and where people can go for help.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Labour’s Andrew Little about New Zealand’s first National Security Strategy, the proposed Immigration (Mass Arrivals) Amendment Bill, and reports that complaints of migrant exploitation have increased under Labour.
For City Counselling, councillor for Waitākere Shane Henderson spoke about the State of the City Report comparing Auckland to nine other cities globally and the government's plans for 19 new marine protection areas for the Hauraki Gulf.
World Vision Advocacy Campaigns and Communications Manager Morgan Theakston discussed the government's proposed legislation to address modern slavery and supply chain exploitation.
Producer Olivia talked to Climate Justice Taranaki researcher, Catherine Cheung, about the recently announced BlackRock green energy investment deal.
She also spoke to Associate Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Equity at the University of Auckland Law School, Hanna Wilberg, about issues with our social welfare system.
Last week the government announced it was working on legislation to address modern slavery.
World Vision and Tearfund previously put out an open letter to the government calling for this.
For Get Action! News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to World Vision Advocacy Campaigns and Communications Manager Morgan Theakston about the government's proposed legislation and why it is important to address supply chain exploitation.
The government recently announced a partnership with BlackRock, an American multinational investment company. BlackRock will invest two billion dollars into green energy, aiming to achieve one hundred percent renewable energy.
Olivia spoke to Climate Justice Taranaki researcher, Catherine Cheung, about their concerns with this deal and possible alternatives.
On The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday:
Andre Fa’aoso spoke to Professor Boyd Swinburn, co-chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa about political parties' positions on tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food policies and how they should weigh-in on voters' decision making come election day.
Andre Fa’aoso also spoke to Joe Carolan about a Tax the Rich protest that is being held in Tamaki Makaurau next Saturday.
Arno spoke to Greater Auckland’s Matt Lowrie about the new State of the City report. Arno also spoke to Sarah Helm from the NZ Drug Foundation about laced MDMA in the Hawke’s Bay area
Nicholas, spoke to Jessica Walker from ConsumerNZ about new Unit pricing regulations for supermarkets
This is the last Wednesday Wire with Andre as he heads off to America to begin his studies at Yale University, so enjoy!
Recent drugs misrepresented as pure MDMA have caused hospitalizations in the Hawke’s Bay region, with four men admitted and two in critical condition.
Arno spoke to the NZ Drug Foundation’s executive director Sarah Helm to find out more. Arno started the interview by asking what the MDMA was laced with.
In the upcoming election there have been many discussions on all sides in regard to tax policy. A Newshub-Reid research poll in May found that a majority of Kiwi’s support implementing a wealth tax, although Labour, National and ACT have been reluctant to touch the subject with Labour still making no major tax reform announcements in the run-up to the election.
Union’s in Tamaki Makaurau have become vocal and have organised a protest advocating for tax reform targeted at New Zealand’s wealthiest. To talk more about the protest that is happening next week, Andre Fa'aoso spoke to protest organiser with Unite Union Joe Carolan.
A recent report called ‘State of the City’ examines Auckland City in a global context, comparing it to developed cities in other countries. The report draws both comparisons and highlights potential areas of improvement.
The report was commissioned by the Committee for Auckland, in partnership with Deloitte and Auckland Council’s economic and cultural agency Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.
Arno spoke with Greater Auckland editor Matt Lowrie to find out more about the findings in the report. Arno started by asking how Matt viewed Auckland prior to reading the report.
On Tuesday, Health Coalition Aotearoa held a forum in Wellington for political parties to front their health policies over tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food. Political parties present at the forum were Labour’s Ayeesha Verrall, the Green’s Chlöe Swarbrick and National’s Shane Reti to share their party’s policy positions.
To talk more about how important parties’ health policies are in voters' decision making in the upcoming election, Andre Fa'aoso spoke to Professor Boyd Swinburn, co-chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa.
The Government has just announced that they will honour an independent arbitration panel’s recommendations, regarding a pay offer agreement with the Post Primary Techer’s association.
As part of the pay offer the base salary of secondary teachers will rise 14.5 per cent.
However, the latest offer will mean cuts to other parts of the ministry of Education's budget, including deferring planned school infrastructure projects.
Nicholas spoke to PPTA acting President Chris Abercrombie to discuss the association's thoughts on this pay offer.
This year ConsumerNZ launched a campaign to rid our Supermarket shelves from “Dodgy Specials”.
The campaign asked for examples of misleading pricing in our supermarket aisles.
The Labour Government has just announced new regulations around Unit Pricing that could help combat these “Dodgy Specials”
The regulations mean that all similar products will have to be displayed with a consistent unit price, making it easier to distinguish which products are cheaper by unit.
Nicholas spoke to Consumer NZ’s Jessica Walker about these new regulations, as well at ConsumerNZ’s campaign to rid New Zealand’s supermarket of quote “Dodgy Supermarket Specials”
The National Party is yet to announce a full Fiscal Plan to account for spending they have promised if they win the election. Figures released by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions have shown a large gap between National's promised spending and the available budget, and workers unions such as Etū are fearing that funding cuts are in store for essential sectors. Rosetta spoke to Rachel Mackintosh, assistant national secretary for Etū, about these fears, and where this leaves working-class voters in the upcoming election.
Last week, Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono placed his Restoring Citizenship Removed by the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act of 1982 Bill in the parliamentary ballot. Rosetta had a chat to him about what the bill means for our Pasifika community, and what more needs to be done to amend dawn-raid injustices.
Te Pāti Māori have announced their tax policy for the election, seeking to modify income tax brackets to reduce the tax burden on low- and middle-income whānau, introduce a wealth tax, raise the company tax rate, introduce a land banking and vacant house tax, and crack down on tax evasion.
Hanna spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about the proposed reforms, the social policies they could fund, enforcement, the critique that progressive tax reform would hurt the economy, and coalition negotiations when Labour is ruling out new taxes.
3,000 people have signed a petition calling for the government to stop handing out oil and gas permits for onshore drilling in Taranaki.
The government is still handing out block offers on the 1565.5 km² onshore Taranaki land which allows drilling.
Caeden spoke to Urs Signer, member of Climate Justice Taranaki, on the support for the ban, the impact of drilling on communities in Taranaki, and why a ban is so important in the context of the current climate crisis.
On today's show:
Spike speaks to ACT's Karen Chhour about the party's new 2 rate tax policy along with the Green Party's free dental care policy, and 95bFM's Water Reporter Marnie Prickett on the new freshwater farm policy rollout, and the pushback it's receiving from farmers and agriculture industry groups.
Hanna speaks to Te Pāti Māori candidate Takutai Kemp about the party's proposed tax reforms and policy going into October's election.
Caeden speaks to Urs Signer from Climate Justice Taranaki about their petition to stop oil and gas drilling in Taranaki.
Andre speaks to Otago professor Janet Hoak about the new WHO report on Aotearoa's "world leading" tobacco reduction policy, and the future of Smokefree 2025.
To crack down on modern slavery, the government is working on legislation to hold large companies using exploitative labour accountable.
If implemented, this legislation would meet requirements to tackle modern slavery laid out in the EU and UK free trade agreements.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Deputy Prime Minister Sepuloni about this, and started off our interview by asking what we can expect from their response.
The National party recently proposed a policy to allow renters under 30 to pay for tenancy bonds with their KiwiSaver funds.
This policy has been highly controversial, with many saying it is likely to harm renters and increase wealth inequality.
Olivia spoke with Anna Bykova of Renters United to discuss their issues with this proposed policy.
AMI has recently released data that tells us about the most collision prone suburbs in the country. Today on the Wire, Beth speaks to Executive General Manager for AMI Claims Wayne Tippet about the areas highest on the list and what we can do to keep safe on the road.
Negotiations with the International Seabed Authority recently came to a close, resulting in the failure of deep sea mining companies to get a green light to begin plundering the ocean.
Today Beth speaks to a member of the Green Party and Fisheries Spokesperson, Eugenie Sage, about deep sea mining in Aotearoa, and what needs to happen to protect our oceans.
The Early Care and Education sector is suffering from a lack of funds and teachers.
Such governmental neglect has already resulted in long childcare waiting lists, high staff turnover, and low morale across the sector.
Olivia talked to the Executive Officer at ECE Reform and public health specialist of the early care and education sector, Dr Mike Bedford, about this issue and potential solutions.
Data released this month by StatsNZ has shown that annual inflation is down to six per cent from six-point-seven per cent in the previous twelve-month period until March 2023.
Although despite this period of disinflation, Consumer Price Index data has shown that the price of consumer goods has continued to rise, with stubbornly high food prices fuelling the cost of living crisis. Food prices have risen above general inflation with food inflation on the Consumer Price Index sitting at twelve-point-three percent in the June quarter of this year.
To talk more about the decrease in inflation and what that signals within the New Zealand economy, producer Andre Fa’aoso spoke to James Mitchell, manager of Consumer Price Delivery at StatsNZ.
Emilia speaks to Green Party Co-leader James Shaw about the emissions trading scheme and National’s recently announced transport plan.
Nicholas speaks to Massey University Professor of Management and Māori Business Jarrod Haar about changes in the number of people considering resigning from their jobs.
Arno speaks to University of Auckland Professor in Criminology Dr Ronals Kramer about the term youth justice in this year's election.
And Professor Auckland University Professor in Psychology Quentin Atkinson about new research into the origins of the English language.
A new study using biological evolution models to trace the origins of the English language has made some remarkable discoveries.
The study used a list of known words in different languages to find a common ancestor for these languages, and incorporated divergence dating so that researchers could estimate when each language diverged from the root language.
The ancient language in which English has its origins is called Proto-Indo-European and dates back 8,000 years ago. It has been geographically isolated, and found to be the root of many modern day languages as well as English.
Arno spoke with Professor Quentin Atkinson, a Professor in Psychology at the University of Auckland, to find out more about the study. Arno started our interview by asking about the methodology of the study.
The results of a new survey out of Massey University has shown that there’s been a 18.2% decrease in the number of Kiwis considering quitting their jobs since November 2021. This survey is a part of Professor Jarrod Haar’s Wellbeing at Work research.
Nicholas spoke to Professor Haar about what the survey results mean, including possible measures businesses need to take to ensure staff
Youth crime has become a hot political topic with some parties promising a tougher attitude if elected.
However, others believe white-collar crime is just as much of a concern, and that the underlying causes of youth crime should be addressed first.
Dr Ronald Kramer, a Professor of criminology at the University of Auckland is concerned with the debate around youth offending.
He recently wrote an article for Newsroom warning readers to be wary of letting the vague concept of 'youth justice' saturate the political agenda.
Arno started our interview by asking him what we can expect discussions about youth crime to centre around in the lead up to the election.
Researchers from the University of Cantebury have launched the new online app and social media campaign Te Puа̄waitanga: Beyond the Birds and Bees, aimed at creating widely accessible and accurate information online for young people regarding relationship and sexuality education.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke with Tracy Clelland, lecturer at the University of Cantebury and project director of Te Puа̄waitanga, about how the platform opperates and why such resources are important.
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire! This week on the show:
- For Dear Science, Allan Blackman joins Milly and Rosetta in the studio to talk uncertainty, Superconductors and one worm in particular
- For our weekly catch up with the National Party, Milly chat to Dr Shane Reti about the Breast Cancer Screening Bill and removing GST on fresh fruit and vegetables
- Milly also speaks to Carina Walters from the University of Auckland about Opioid use in New Zealand
- Rosetta speaks to Tracy Clelland, lecturer from the University of Canterbury and project director of Te Puāwaitanga: Beyond the Birds and Bees, about improving Relationship and Sexuality education in Aotearoa.
- Rosetta also spoke to Ella Shepherd, President of Abortion Law Reform Association New Zealand, about the newly implemented safe areas across different clinics in Aotearoa.
For 95bFM's weekly catchup with the National Party, Milly talks to Dr Shane Reti about the Breast Screening bill recently pulled from the ballot box and the Labour Party's plans to remove GST from fresh fruit and vegetables.
Last week E Tū picketed outside the special general meeting of the Building Service Contractors of New Zealand, the employer association for cleaning companies.
E Tū have been in negotiations for a collective agreement but have been offered nothing by employers - including a lack of a 30c pay increase which has been offered in previous years.
This comes during the cost of living crisis, and Auckland Airport cleaner Jackie Clark said, “We feel that cleaning companies don’t care about the cleaners, and they don’t respect us.”
Caeden spoke to E Tū Campaign director Sarah Thompson about why they picketed, fair pay agreements and what we can expect to happen in the context of the election.
The Labour government announced last week that it will make ram-raiding its own criminal offence and build two new Youth Justice residences. We thus enter an election season where both major parties converge on using 'tough on crime' measures on rangatahi.
Hanna spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about why the party does not endorse Labour's policies even though they claim to have a more rehabilitative focus than National's, their strong opposition to placing rangatahi in carceral institutions, addressing the systemic drivers behind youth offending through community integration and manaakitanga, and what space Te Pāti Māori have to push their policies when both Labour and National agree on punitive approaches to youth offending.
Auckland Transport has recently announced a draft Regional Public Transport plan, which will take effect over three stages, long-, medium- and short-term. The proposal outlines AT's priorities for Tāmaki Makaurau's public transport system until 2031. Beth spoke to Luke Elliott, Principal Planner at AT, about the plan.
On The Wire for Rāpare Thursday.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Labour’s Andrew Little about creating a single cybersecurity agency, the government’s $15 million pledge to restore the St James Theatre, and a review of weather forecasting systems.
Hanna Thompson spoke to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about youth justice.
Nicholas Lindstrom talked to Auckland University Students' Association President Alan Shaker about AUSA elections, the upcoming AUSA Annual General Meeting, and calls for a universal study wage.
Olivia Bing speaks to the Green Party’s Golriz Ghahraman about their calls for affordable dental care.
And Beth Torrance-Hetherington spoke to Principal Planner for the Rapid Transit Network at Auckland Transport, Luke Elliott, about the draft Regional Public Transport plan.
Nicholas Lindstrom talked to Auckland University Students' Association President Alan Shaker about AUSA elections, the upcoming AUSA Annual General Meeting, and calls for a universal study wage.
A year after Te Whatu Ora was established, health workers say working conditions are the same or worse - and that their concerns are not being heard, according to a survey released by NZ Women in Medicine.
In addition to asking about current satisfaction levels, the survey asked what clinicians believed the next year would look like. That proved to be quite pessimistic as well.
Arno spoke to Dr Orna McGinn, the chair of NZ Women in Medicine, who conducted the survey. I spoke with her about working conditions, pay inequality, and staffing issues.
To find out more Arno started our interview by asking her how many people participated in the survey.
A new medical consent statement will help students to gain work experience in the medical field at Otago and Auckland medical schools. The updated statement will reflect changing times and incorporate a Maori worldview as well.
Arno spoke with one of the authors of the statement, Professor Warwick Bagg, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland, to find out more. Arno started our interview by asking what the medical consent statement is and why it’s necessary.
Save The Children is making an effort to better inform children about the voting process, and encouraging communities to better include their voices in politics. The organisation held a true-to-life voting experience for tamariki over the weekend, at Tāmaki Makaurau's Kids Only Market, where children were encouraged to voice the issues they want covered by the government.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke to Jacqui Southey, Child Rights Advocacy and Research Director for Save The Children, about what the voting experiece entailed, and the importance of involving children in politics.
Forest and Bird Aotearoa is calling on parties to announce more policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, following the release of data from Statistics New Zealand about emissions over the course of 2022. The organisation says that while a downward trend is shown, it is not enough, and is urging people to vote accordingly.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke to Geoff Key, strategic advisor for Forest and Bird, about what they want to see from parties towards the election, and about the Climate Shift initiative to guide climate policy.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly speaks to Anusha Guler about paid roles that people are able to take up in the upcoming election.
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire with Milly and Rosetta!
This week:
- For Dear Science, Davide joins Milly and Rosetta to talk plants, cicadas and why you might be more attracted to your look alikes
- For our weekly catch up with the National Party, Milly talks falling mathematics achievement and Nationals education plans as well as National’s recent commentary on the Labour Party’s approach to crime
- Milly also speaks to Anusha Guler Electoral Commission’s Deputy Chief Executive Operations, about job opportunities in the upcoming election
- Rosetta spoke to Geoff Key, strategic advisor at Forest and Bird, about what parties should be doing for climate change ahead of the election
- She also spoke to Jacqui Southey, Child rights Advocacy and Research Director at Save the Children, about involving children in the election process.
Listen in for this and more!
On Sunday the Government announced they would match Auckland Council’s $15 million for restoration of the St James Theatre in Central Auckland.
Caeden spoke to Central Auckland MP Chlöe Swarbrick about the significance of the theatre and the benefit it will have for the public given the public funding going into the restoration.
According to new research, Māori are a third more likely to be admitted to hospital with treatment injuries because of healthcare complications than non-Māori.
Research conducted at a similar time also found Māori were less likely to have access to heart failure medications.
Caeden spoke to report co-author and Pharmacist Dr Joanna Hikaka (Ngāruahine) about the report’s findings.
They also spoke to Hariata Vercoe from the Korowai Aroha Health Centre about the context of these barriers and solutions. Caeden started by asking for her perspective on the research.
For Get Action! Otago University Students’ Association President Quintin Jane and Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association Te Aka Tauira President Jessica Ye discussed their petition to make tertiary education more accessible and introduce a universal study wage for all.
Andre Fa’aoso speaks to Senior Lecturer in Business and Economics at the University of Auckland Dr Haipeng Zhang Aotearoa signing a free trade deal with the European Union.
Loneliness is an epidemic that is affecting more and more people every day. Some demographics are more affected than others. Loneliness can have physical health effects, as well as mental.
Professor in Psychological Medicine from the University of Auckland Elizabeth Broadbent is researching how robots and other AI tools such as ChatGPT can aid people in reducing their social isolation and improving their wellbeing.
Arno spoke to her to find out more about her research into companion robots and for a background on the health impacts of loneliness.
Arno started the interview by asking Elizabeth how loneliness affects people’s wellbeing.
Producer Caeden is excited to share that Barbie (2023) hits cinemas across Aotearoa this evening.
In honour of what is an exciting event for many, including Caeden, they spoke to several feminists to analyse what the Barbie film means for the feminist movement and why so many people are excited about it.
First they spoke to Campus Feminist Collective chairwoman Lily Chen.
They then spoke to University of Auckland Communications Professor Bridget Conor for her perspective.
Homeowners in the North Island displaced by this year’s severe weather events have been thrown a lifeline by the government.
A new interim payment will be available from the start of September to help bridge the gap once insurance payments for temporary accommodation run out.
Caeden interviewed deputy prime minister Carmel Sepuloni on this expansion of the temporary solution and what this will mean in the long term.
They started by asking the minister to outline of what this support will look like.
On The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday:
Emilia speaks to Green Party co-leader James Shaw about the Prime Minister’s decision to rule out implementing a capital gains and wealth tax, as well as a ruling from the High Court last week which found that the Government needs to reconsider their decisions on the settings of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Andre speaks to Senior Law Lecturer at the University of Auckland Dylan Asafo about an independent review into Immigration New Zealand’s continued practice of dawn raids.
Caeden speaks to Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni about a government announcement for homeowners impacted by severe weather events.
They also speak to Campus Feminist Collective’s Lily Chen and University of Auckland Professor Bridget Conor on the Barbie Film from a feminist perspective.
Arno speaks to Professor Elizabeth Broadbent from The University of Auckland about whether robots can help lonely people decrease their social isolation and improve their wellbeing.
And John Minto of Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa about PUMA’s complicity with Israeli racism in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Last week, Chris Hipkins announced that the Labour Party is pledging to rule out any sort of capital gains tax or wealth tax if re-elected. Hipkins has stated that it is simple mot the time for big changes to the tax system given how much Kiwis are struggling with the cost of living. The pledge has received backlash and contrasts starkly with policies of Te Pati Māori and The Green Party, leaving a potential future coalition uncertain.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke to to Child Poverty Action Group's convenor Alan Johnson about the policy, and what the decision will mean for the wealth gap and child poverty in Aotearoa.
Last week, the Smithsonian abruptly cancelled the Asian American Literary Festival, which writers from around the world were set to attend. A delegation of writers from Australia and New Zealand were preparing to travel and had spent public funding on the event, when they received an announcement the festival had been cancelled. No reasoning or plans for postponement have been given, and members of the Australia/New Zealand delegation are left outraged.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke to New Zealand writers Chris Tse and Saraid de Silva, who were set to attend the festival in the United States, about their plans for the festival and what the cancellation means.
The Grocery sector has been in the spotlight since it was reported that food prices increased 12.5 percent from last year.
This increase in food prices matched with a cost of living crisis has left many New Zealanders choosing between which of their basic needs is most important.
However, the cause of the cost of living crisis has had little effect on supermarket profits, with the two biggest supermarket retailers in New Zealand recording a combined profit of 430 million dollars last year.
In an unprecedented move, the Labour government has chosen to create a new commission to look at measures needed to regulate the supermarket industry in order to get fairer prices for ordinary Kiwis
Nicholas spoke to newly appointed grocery commissioner Pierre Van Heerden about his experience and his ideas on what needs to change in the grocery sector.
On The Wire for Rāhina Monday:
-
Spike speaks to ACT MP Simon Court about ACT's youth justice policy announcements, and water researcher Marnie Prickett about Auckland Council's flood mitigation plan, along with new nitrate readings from South Auckland.
-
Rawan speaks to Ben Schmidt from the Tertiary Education Union about voluntary redundancies at Massey University, and Auckland University Professor of Physics Richard Easther about the recent discovery of gravitational waves for Tomorrow's World.
-
and Nicholas speaks to the newly appointed Grocery Commissioner Pierre Van Heerden about the role, and his focuses going in.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Labour's Andrew Little about the government's response to recent dawn raids and their announcement that they would not introduce a wealth tax after the election.
She also speaks to Action Station Director Kassie Hartendorp (Ngāti Rau-kawa and Ngāti Pare-rau-kawa) about the government ruling out taxing the super-rich.
And she chats to undergraduate student at the University of Auckland Vaitoa Mallon about Kiribati language week.
Host Milly Smyth speaks with Daniel Hikuroa from the University of Auckland about Matariki.
Producer Rawan Saadi speaks with University of Auckland Doctoral candidate Ashlea Gibbons about the 250,000 dollar grant she has received to continue her research on the impact of fat bias on Maori in healthcare.
She also speaks to Australian-Jewish author and independent journalist Antony Lowenstein about his new book "The Palestinian Laboratory" which exposes and discusses how the Israeli occupation has been testing technology and military equipment on Palestinians.
This week is Te Taetae ni Kiribati Te Taetae ni Kiribati — Kiribati language week.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to undergraduate student at the University of Auckland Vaitoa Mallon about connecting with his Kiribati heritage growing up in Aotearoa.
Here is that interview…
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has ruled out introducing a wealth or capital gains tax if Labour is re-elected this year.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Action Station Director Kassie Hartendorp, Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Pareraukawa, about why they believe a wealth tax and capital is needed in Aotearoa.
She started off their interview asking about their reaction to the Prime Minister's decision.
This week, humanitarian agencies in New Zealand released an open letter to the government calling for legislation on ending modern-day slavery. World Vision and Tearfund are calling for the government to roll out legislation that requires businesses to assess where modern-day slavery may be used in their supply chains domestically and globally.
It is estimated by World Vision that around fifty million people are in modern-day slavery with around 27 million experiencing forced labour, with a large number in the Asia-Pacific. Consumer goods imported into New Zealand are often direct products of modern-day slavery.
To talk more about the policy recommendations that World Vision is pushing for, and the broader issue of modern-day slavery in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific, host Andre Fa'aoso spoke to Morgan Theakston, Advocacy, Campaigns and Communications Manager at World Vision.
On the show for Rāapa:
Host Andre Fa’aoso speaks to Morgan Theakston, a spokesperson from World Vision about their campaign and petition calling for the government to implement policies that can put an end to modern-day slavery.
Emilia speaks to Green Party co-leader James Shaw about the party’s annual general meeting that they held over the weekend.
Arno speaks to FIRST Union organiser Justin Wallace about their negotiations for better pay for Frame & Truss workers.
Arno also speaks to MBA student and business owner Joel Stirling about his experience as an MBA and meeting Richard Branson.
Plus some tunes and a fun little technical blooper.
National and Act have recently released new 'tough on crime' policies, including proposals for bootcamps and 'tougher' consequences for gang members.
Today on the Wire, Beth spoke with Dr Ian Hyslop, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Counselling and Social Work at the University of Auckland, about conventional youth justice facilities, whether they are ethical and effective means of addressing crime, and alternative ways to approaching the issue.
For our regular catch-up, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about the Green Party's 'Pledge to Renters' and proposal to introduce a Renters' Rights Bill, the Human Rights Commission's two-year inquiry into housing, and ACT's policy for 17-year-old defendants to face trial in adult court.
Here is that interview.
The Nga Hau Birthing Centre in Māngere has closed a huge health gap for local communities, but the centre is facing closure this year after funding cuts.
Caeden spoke to new mum and Action Station petitioner Rebecca Kingi about why the centre is so important for the community, and why government funding to save it is crucial.
The petition to save it can be signed here!
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Karen Chhour about renters' rights and ACT's policy for 17-year-olds to be tried in adult court.
She also spoke to Professor of Public Health Nick Wilson from the University of Otago about addressing poor ventilation on public transport.
Producer Caeden Tipler spoke to Child Poverty Action Group’s Sarita Divis about their calls leading up to the election.
And Rebecca Kingi, who is a new mum, about funding cuts facing Nga Hau Birthing Centre.
Producer Nicholas Lindstrom spoke to Jackie Paul, an advisor that worked on a new report into the housing crisis released by Te Kahui tika Tangata the Human Rights Commission.
The Child Poverty Action Group has released their policy and three key asks for this election: free preschool education for every child; a warm, safe dry home for every child and good food for every child.
Caeden spoke to Sarita Divis about what the Child Poverty Action Group is pushing for in the lead-up to the election and why these demands are so important.
Caeden started by asking why they’ve highlighted these three asks.
For our regular catch-up with Labour MP Andrew Little, he spoke about more than 6300 overseas workers joining Aotearoa’s health workforce in the past year and expansions to working visas for New Zealand and UK residents.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins talked to Professor of Medicine and Acting Dean of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau, Warwick Bagg, about the need for more medical students and why the University is against National's proposal to have a third medical school at the University of Waikato.
And for Get Action! Otago University Students’ Association President Quintin Jane and Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association Te Aka Tau-ira President Jessica Ye discussed their petition to make tertiary education more accessible and introduce a universal study wage for all.
Producer Rawan Saadi spoke to screenwriter and Associate Professor Shuchi Kothari about the Pan-Asian Screen Collective and the initiative to have more Asian stories on screen.
Producer Andre Fa'aoso speaks to Donovan Gray, a Year 12 student at Rutherford College about a new toolkit that Netsafe has released designed to combat online bullying, harassment and sextortion.
A new initiative by Koi Tū, The Centre for Informed Futures, highlights the importance of play in the cognitive, physical, and mental wellbeing of children. Koi Tū are calling for the government to ease the burden of raising children and to make it easier for children to have access to play.
Not only is play important in honing motor skills, it also helps expand the brain and prepare it for things such as numeracy and literacy.
Arno spoke with Dr Felicia Low, a research fellow at Koi Tū, to find out more about the importance of children’s play. Arno started the interview by asking how the initiative came about.
The Wire is back with another stacked show for your Rāapa Wednesday! On today's show:
Emilia chats to Green Party co-leader James Shaw about his party’s housing policy announced last week.
Andre speaks to Donovan Gray, a Year 12 student at Rutherford College about a new toolkit that Netsafe has released designed to combat online bullying, harassment and sextortion.
Arno speaks to Dr. Fabio Morreale about the new song from The Beatles that was restored using the help of AI.
And he also chats with Dr. Felicia Low, a research fellow at Koi Tu, The Centre for Informed Futures about the importance of playtime for kids growing up.
And finally, on the Green Desk Jack Marshall speaks to Rachael James, a Professor of Geochemistry from the University of Southampton, about enhanced rock weathering as a form of carbon capture.
Artificial intelligence algorithms are being used to clean up an old recording of John Lennon of the Beatles and the music is slated for release, being dubbed “the last Beatles record” - with a release date more than fifty years after it was recorded.
Dr Fabio Morreale is a senior lecturer and coordinator of music technology, School of Music at the University of Auckland. He has unique insight into the restoration process and also how AI will impact music production in the future.
Arno started by asking him if the entire song would be using AI restoration or just the vocals.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke to Bill McKay, senior lecturer at the University of Auckland School of Architecture and Planning, regarding the Green Party's recently announced Pledge to Renters. They discussed what the pledge involves, gaps the policy is missing, and where the pledge leaves young voters in the upcoming election.
On The Wire for Rāhina Monday this week:
-
Spike speaks to ACT MP Simon Court about ACT's opposition to the Let's Get Wellington Moving project
-
Hanna speaks to Te Pati Maori candidate Takutai Kemp about the party's new 20 year old candidate for Hauraki-Waikato, and the new Ombudsman report on Aotearoa prisons
-
Nicholas talks to Maritime Union national organiser Craig Harrison about the potential repercussions of a privatised Port of Auckland
-
Jessica Hopkins speaks to sarcoma cancer survivor and member of a sarcoma advisory group Sara Chung for Sarcoma Awareness Month, about the group's recomendations for improving sarcoma patient outcomes
Auckland city council’s decision to sell a percentage of their shares in the Auckland Airport has placed a fresh spotlight on other Council owned assets.
No plans have been announced yet, but a review into Auckland’s ports could lead to the potential sale and privatisation of the currently council owned ports..
Nicholas spoke to Craig Harrison, The National Secretary of The Maritime Union of New Zealand, about the potential pitfalls of selling the ports of Auckland.
For their weekly catchup, Hanna spoke to Takutai Kemp about the party's 20-year old candidate for Hauraki-Waikato, Hana Maipi-Clarke. They discussed whether youth may bring insight rather than hindrance, rangatahi representing rangatahi on issues which affect them, and how future generations can bring tradition forward.
They then discussed the Chief Ombudsman's scathing review of Corrections, which showed no change since the 2020 Waikeria riot despite repeated recommendations. They covered resistance to change within Corrections, Māori mass incarceration, and changes Te Pāti Māori would make - both inside and outside the prison.
The Entrust dividend payment is a payout of Entrust’s dividends in Vector Limited, and is paid out to beneficiaries throughout Tamaki Makaurau who reside within the Entrust district. During the current cost of living crisis, the dividend payment is expected to be a welcome relief for Aucklanders eligible to receive it.
Last year Entrust paid out more than three-hundred dollars each to more than three-hundred-and-fifty-thousand Entrust beneficiaries throughout Auckland. To learn more about the Entrust Dividend payment, where the money comes from, and how many Aucklanders can expect to receive the payment this year, Andre Fa’aoso spoke to Denise Lee, Entrust’s Dividend Sub-Committee spokesperson and started off by asking her how much the 2023 dividend payment will be.
To learn more about Entrust’s operations, Andre asked Denise how Entrust operates, and also asked about a tax-reform campaign Entrust is fronting that aims to secure fourteen million dollars extra in dividends for Aucklanders.
On The Wire for Rāpare:
Spike speaks to Shane Henderson on City Counselling this week, covering the official passing of the Council budget, the Great North Road cycleway project finally being approved, and the Auditor-General report into Auckland Emergency Management. Spike also speaks to Tertiary Education Union national president Julie Douglas about the new university funding announcement, and Professor Paul Glue about a new trial into MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for cancer patients.
Rawan speaks to Taimi Allen about a recent Te Hiringa Mahara report on peer support in the mental health and addiction system, and Keith Gordon on the HMS Niagara shipwreck and the environmental risks it poses for the Hauraki Gulf.
Long COVID or long-haul COVID is a series of conditions characterised by long-term, multi-system, often severe health problems persisting or appearing after the typical recovery period of COVID-19. However there is little consensus on the definition of the term as of earlier this year. A new study by the Liggins Institute, headed by Rachel Jaros, sheds new light on the long-term health implications Covid can have, including heart disease and Parkinson’s.
Arno started our interview by asking what clarifications the study focused on and to see what new research uncovered about Long Covid and its health effects.
Producer Andre Fa'aoso speaks to Denise Lee, spokesperson for the Entrust Dividend Sub-committee about the Entrust Dividend Payment, and their recent tax-reform campaign that says Auckland beneficiaries are missing out on fourteen million dollars in extra dividends.
The Wire is back with a stacked show for your Rāapa Wednesday! On today's show:
Our News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, speaks to Geoffrey Miller, a geopolitical analyst at the Democracy Project, about Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ visit to China this week.
She also talks to Sam Vincent from Uyghur Solidarity Aotearoa, a group focused on amplifying Uyghur voices and calling for action on the genocide of Uyghur people in China about Hipkins’ meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Andre speaks to Denise Lee, spokesperson for the Entrust Dividend Sub-committee about the Entrust Dividend Payment, and their recent tax-reform campaign that says Auckland beneficiaries are missing out on $14,000,000 in extra dividends.
Arno speaks to Rachel Jaros of the Liggins Institute on a new study showing the effects of long-haul Covid on a host of other health conditions.
And he also chats with Joe Gallagher about E Tu Union’s transition plan for 750 laid-off workers at New Zealand Post Auckland and Christchurch.
750 postal workers living in Auckland and Christchurch are set to be made redundant due to lowering volumes of mail globally. E Tu Union, representative of the postal workers, are putting in place a Just Transition program to help postal workers to transition to new jobs. They similarly did something in March earlier this year when the Manawatu postal centre closed down.
Arno spoke to Joe Gallagher, E Tu Union representative, to find out more about the Just Transition plan. Arno started the interview by asking how the livelihoods of those workers would be affected.
Last week, the Human Rights Measurement Initiative released it's latest data on the state of Human Rights in Aotearoa. Both JustSpeak and Amnesty International Aotearoa have expressed concern over disproportionate violations of human rights against Māori communities. Human rights breeches were particularly prevalent against Māori in the judicial system, healthcare systems, and domestic and sexual violence.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke with Aphiphany Forward-Taua, executive director of JustSpeak, about what the data means for our Māori communities, particularly wihtin our prison systems, and what needs to change moving forward.
If in government, the ACT Party would stop contracted workers from being able to challenge their employment status.
This comes after Uber drivers were deemed employees of the international ride-sharing service in a landmark Employment Court decision.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to E tū Union Spokesperson Annie Newman about their opposition to ACT's policy.
Last week the United Nations formally adopted the international Oceans Treaty, which was agreed to in March.
Caeden spoke to Greenpeace Oceans Campaigner Ellie Hooper about her experiences during the treaty negotiations and what the next steps are.
Caeden started by asking why the treaty is significant.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT MP Karen Chhour about their proposal to ban contractors from challenging their employment status, serious allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards children in Oranga Tamariki care, and ACT's opposition to ethnicity being a factor for non-urgent surgical waitlists.
Victoria University of Wellington has proposed significant cuts to staff and several courses including secondary education and theatre.
The University is blaming the underfunding of the tertiary sector and a drop in international and domestic student enrolments.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins first spoke to Senior Lecturer of Education at Victoria University Dr Margaret Gleeson about the secondary education programme, which is set to be cut completely.
She also spoke to Lecturer in Theatre Dr James Wenley at Victoria University. They started by discussing how the theatre programme, in particular, will be affected.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT MP Karen Chhour about their new contractor policy, serious allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards children in Oranga Tamariki care, and ACT's opposition to ethnicity being one of the factors to consider for surgical waitlist prioritisation.
She also spoke to E tū Union Spokesperson Annie Newman about ACT’s proposal to ban contractors from challenging their employment status.
Producer Caeden spoke to Ellie Hooper from Greenpeace about the UN Oceans Treaty.
And Lecturer in Theatre Dr James Wenley and Senior Lecturer of Education Dr Margaret Gleeson discussed cuts to programmes and staff at Victoria University.
Spike speaks to Aotearoa Alliance of Progressive Indians and Greens candidate Dr. Sapna Samant about the recent growth of Hindutva inside India and abroad, what the ideology pushes for, and the risks that could come from its growth.
Today on The Wire for Rāpare Thursday:
Spike speaks to Labour MP Andrew Little about his new position as Minister for Immigration, Taylor MacGregor from Save Our Venues about making sure venues survive the shift to higher density living in our urban centres, and Dr. Sapna Samant from the Aotearoa Alliance of Progressive Indians about the growth of and dangers posed by Hindutva ideology in India and abroad.
Rawan speaks to Refugees as Survivors CEO Sharon Ward about World Refugee Day, Aotearoa meeting its quota of refugees for the first time, and the issues still present within the resettlement process.
This week on Tuesday 20th June, Aotearoa celebrated World Refugee Day, a world wide commemoration of the forced immigrant journey.
On the same day the government anounced that for the fist time Aotearoa has met its refugee quota of 1500 people that was originally set in 2020 but was not reached due to covid.
This also comes at a time when NGOs and volunteers have raised concerns about the efficiency and resourcing of the ressetlement process.
Rawan Spoke with Sharon Ward, the CEO of Refugees as Survivors about both the celeberation and the recent issues in the sector.
Live music venues in Aotearoa have increasingly come under threat from growing densification in urban centres, with many now contesting noise complaints from new residential neighbors. Spike speaks to Taylor MacGregor, a representative from Save Our Venues, about how to make sure venues can survive this shift, along with how councils and the government can plan for and support a thriving music scene.
On the Wednesday Wire:
Emilia has our weekly catch-up with Green Party co-leader James Shaw, this week they’re chatting about the proposed reforms to the emissions trading scheme.
On the Green Desk, Jack Marshall talks to Paul Naske, CEO of Rua Bioscience about their medical marijuana farming operations on the East Coast and how it is bringing jobs to the local economy in the aftermath of the cyclone.
Andre Fa’aoso speaks to Scott Optican, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland about Donald Trump’s federal and state legal woes in the lead-up to the 2024 Presidential election.
Andre also spoke to Karen Orsborn, Chief Executive of Te Hiringa Mahara, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission about a report released earlier this month detailing Pacific well-being in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Hannah speaks to Te Pati Māori’s Takutai Kemp about bilingual road signs and the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle land categorisation in Hawke's Bay on Petane Marae whanau.
Arno speaks with dietitian and University of Auckland professor Andrea Braakhuis about Jenny Craig shutting down and the wider implications for dieting and healthy eating overall.
Andrea Braakhuis is a registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at the University of Auckland. Arno caught up with her to find out more about Jenny Craig closing, the latest dieting trends, and to find out what works and what a healthy person looks like.
Listen in to find out more about what you can do to be more healthy, and whether weight loss is necessary to achieve this.
Arno started the interview by asking to find out a bit more about the weight loss industry.
Te Hiringa Mahara, the Mental Health and Well-Being Commission released a report earlier this month about Pasifika’s mental health and well-being both during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report highlights inequities Pasifika experienced during the pandemic, and reflects on united Pasifika communities in the name of remaining resilient in adverse circumstances. In the report, there are key points that emphasise systemic inequities in regard to mental health support for Pasifika. The commissions findings reinforce the strong values based relationships Pasifika have with others. Although the underlying call for more mental-health and wellbeing support for Pasifika community remains.
To talk more about the report, its findings, and what recommendations can be made for targeted support and reform Andre Fa'aoso spoke to Karen Orsborn, Chief Executive of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission.
Last week Donald Trump pleaded not-guilty on thirty-seven charges related to the handling and possession of classified US documents in his Florida estate in Mar-a-lago.
Trump is also facing trials in New York, Georgia, and Virginia in relation to fraud, election interference and the January 6th insurrection. To talk more about Trump’s legal woes, Andre Fa'aoso spoke to Scott Optican, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland.
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire! This week on the show:
- On Dear Science, Allan Blackman joins to talk dead flies, space brain and the size of the earth
- Milly has her weekly catch up with Dr Shane Reti where they talk about National’s proposed tougher consequences for gang members, Te Ara Oranga and the use of memes by political parties
- Milly also speaks to Aphiphany Forward-Taua from Just Speak on National’s crackdown on crime
- Beth speaks to Hema Sridhar, Strategic Advisor for Technological Futures at Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, about social cohesion in Aotearoa.
- And Rosetta speaks to Camilla Highfield, Deputy Dean at the University of Auckland Faculty of Education and Social Work, about the secondary school teachers strikes
Stay tuned for all this and more!
Last week, secondary school teacher strikes resumed after the Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) voted to decline a pay offer from the Ministry of Education. Bargaining continues amongst PPTA and the Ministry of Education, as many parents and students alike have joined in on protests in hopes to return to the classroom.
Camilla Highfield is the Deputy Dean for the University of Auckland Faculty of Education and Social Work. Wire producer Rosetta spoke with Camilla about where she thinks the strikes are going, why they're important, and what change our teachers need to feel more supported.
We Back our Kaiako is a new student-led group which has formed to support the teacher strikes. They’re based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and will be protesting outside Parliament on Wednesday to show their support of the Post Primary Teachers Association.
Caeden had a kōrero with their spokesperson Kay about why they’ve organised this protest and what their demands are. More info can be found on their instagram @backourkaiako
Last week Simon spoke with Professor John Townend on the science of the Alpine Fault, and the probability of a large earthquake in the next 50 years. The AF8 roadshow is touring around the South Island to help communities prepare for a large earthquake. Alice Lake-Hammond is the programme manager of the roadshow. Simon began by asking Alice what the purpose of the AF8 roadshow is.
Kia ora, and welcome to The Wire for Rāpare!
This week, Spike speaks to:
-
Andrew Little about the new defence deal with Fiji
-
Lisa Woods from Amnesty NZ about a new report into Corrections' use of prisoner separation and solitary confinement
-
and a report on City Impact's "Christian Summit" event held this week, serving as a meeting point for far-right and evangelical groups going into October's election, featuring activists Byron C Clark and Hannah Blake
Simon speaks to:
-
Councillor Shane Henderson for City Counselling about the budget agreement reached last week, and the sale of airport shares and rates rises
-
Alice Lake-Hammond about the AF8 roadshow in the South Island raising awareness about a potential Alpine Fault earthquake
-
and Senior Lecturer Bill McKay about the ongoing revitalisation of Queen St
Anyone who has visited Queen street lately will have noticed the sea of roadworks as Auckland Transport seeks to transform the street to being more pedestrian and cycle friendly. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in architecture and planning at Auckland University. Simon spoke to him about how Queen Street can become a vibrant and user friendly space. Simon began by asking Bill whether the recent changes have worked.
This Tuesday, City Impact Church held what they dubbed a "Christian summit" on the "state of the nation", where multiple far-right groups and figures met to give speeches and push for a coordinated electoral campaign ahead of October's election. 95bFM obtained a recording of the event, and along with outlining what was discussed, Spike speaks to activists Byron C Clark and Hannah Blake about the state of the conservative/Christian extremist movements in Aotearoa, and what the meeting means for the far-right moving forward.
Spike speaks to Lisa Woods, a campaign head at Amnesty NZ, about the new Inspectorate report into Corrections' use of prisoner separation and solitary confinement, along with its impacts and repercussions.
To try minimise levels of youth vaping, the government has announced new regulations last week. These restrictions include regulating vape flavour descriptions, areas where vape stores can be constructed, and also regulating disposable vapes.
To learn more about what these policy changes might do to help curb youth vaping, and uncover what more needs to be done, Andre Fa’aoso spoke to Janet Hoek, Senior Professor at the University of Otago, Wellington and co-director of ASPIRE25.
On the Wednesday Wire:
Simon has our weekly catch-up with Green Party co-leader James Shaw. He speaks with him about the Green’s tax-reform announcements and about Labour granting consent for an Australian mining billionaire to prospect on conserved land.
Andre Fa’aoso speaks to Professor Janet Hoek of the University of Otago, Wellington about New Zealand's vaping restrictions and what more needs to be done to combat youth vaping.
On the Green Desk, Jack Marshall speaks to Remy Lesseur from AgResearch about VR technology that is helping farmers determine where and what trees they should plant as a part of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Alex speaks with Jenny Salesa about regulation of boarding houses, and councillor Angela Dalton about the Auckland Council’s Future Development Strategy consultation.
Arno speaks to Adele Gautier from New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation about treatments for advanced breast cancer.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about their opposition to a proposal aimed at reducing people's exposure to harmful and illegal content, and National and the Greens supporting Brooke van Velden's GST-sharing bill.
Forest and Bird are calling for a moratorium on new mines on public conservation land after a Government did not support a Bill which would have ended new mines on conservation land.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Chief Executive Nicola Toki about why mining access arrangements are a threat to native species and the climate.
She started off the interview discussing why the organisation is disappointed that the government is granting new protesting permits.
A recent US Supreme Court ruling has found a Republican-drawn Alabama voting map is in violation of federal law.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Associate Professor of History at The University of Auckland Jennifer Frost about what the ruling means for voters' rights and racial discrimination in voting in Alabama and the US as a whole.
Last Week primary school teachers reached a settlement with the Government regarding pay equity issues.
As a part of this agreement there will be increases in teachers salaries, extra classroom release time and lump sum payments to combat the cost of living crisis .
Nicholas spoke to Liam Rutherford who is a council member for the New Zealand Education Institute and current teacher about the benefits of pay offer agreement as well as the areas in which further improvements need to be made.
Kia ora, and welcome to The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!
Spike speaks to:
-
Labour MP Andrew Little about his visit to the Shangri-La Indo-Pacific defense summit, and the Taumaru review of intelligence laws and services
-
TEU organiser Ben Schmidt about the proposed job cuts at Massey University
-
Natalie Vincent from Good Shepherd about the prevalance of Buy Now Pay Later debt
Simon speaks to:
-
City Councillor Lotu Fuli on the budget negotiations starting today, abusive emails from Mayor Brown and the much contested sale of airport shares
-
Associate Professor Grant Duncan on the new independent electoral review and its recommendations around term limits, prisoner voting rights and the "coattails" rule
-
Professor John Townend about the risk of a major earthquake along the Alpine Fault over the next 50 years
This week, a review into the electoral system in Aotearoa was released. The report, titled Independent Electoral Review seeks to make the electoral system clearer, fairer, and more accessible for current and future generations. Associate Professor Grant Duncan teaches politics at Massey University, and he highlighted the major changes the review is suggesting. Simon began by asking him to discuss the recommendation to change the election from every three years to every four.
It has been revealed that the Alpine Fault, which runs down the south island, has a 75% chance of creating a magnitude 8 or stronger earthquake in the next 50 years. Professor John Townend has spent many years studying the fault line to gain a greater understanding of the risks. He began by discussing what he has discovered recently.
Michael Baker, University of Otago professor and epidemiologist, joins us today from Oslo, Norway, to talk about the latest updates on Covid in New Zealand, following an article published in the New Zealand Herald on Sunday.
Although New Zealand has done comparatively well in managing the health crisis, hospital admissions are still high and a number of people are expected to die from Covid this year.
Arno started the interview by asking Michael if people still needed to be worried by Covid.
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire! This week on the show:
- Allan Blackman joins us to discuss the breakthroughs and setbacks of science
- Milly has her weekly catch up with Dr Shane Reti where they talked about healthcare in the Waikato and the mammogram age
- Milly continues her in-depth conversation with Carrie Leonetti on why family court judges need expert-led training
- Beth speaks to Kate Camp, the Head of Marketing and Communications at Te Papa, about Matariki events and celebrations this year.
- Rosetta speaks to Adele Gautier from Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand about the Government stalling access to free mammograms for women aged 70-74.
The Government has released a report in response to the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation's petition to raise the age of free access to mammogram screening from 69 to 74. After originally committing to raising the age in 2017, the Government has now backtracked on the promise due to ICT issues at Breast Screening Aotearoa and a shortage of radiologists.
A recent report from the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation says a woman willl lose her life every month because of the decision. Tuesday Wire producer Rosetta Stone spoke to Adele Gautier, New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation's Research and Strategic Programmes Manager, about the consequences of the Government's decision.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly continues her in-depth conversation with Carrie Leonetti - Associate Professor at the Auckland University Faculty of Law on why family court judges need expert-led domestic violence training.
This week for thier weekly catch up, Milly speaks to Dr Shane Reti about the Waikato Hospital that is struggling and not a part of the winter preparedness plan, as well as National's proposed increase to the breast screening cutoff age.
Today on the Tuesday Wire, Beth speaks to Kate Camp, the Head of Marketing and Communications at Te Papa about how many New Zealanders are celebrating Matariki and how they are doing so.
Framing Hope is a photography exhibition featuring the works of seven photographers, raising funds for the surf lifesaving clubs in Piha, Te Henga/Bethells Beach, Muriwai, and KareKare that were affected by cyclone gabrielle. Josh McCormack is one of the photographers and organisers of the exhibition. Simon began by asking Josh to share what Framing Hope is.
This month bFM’s water reporter Marnie Prickett discussed a recent report released by the ministry for the environment titled ‘Lessons Learnt’, which highlighted the issues around water management in the Ashburton Lakes area of the South Island. Marnie also spoke about a report she worked on titled ‘water infrastructure failures from Cyclone Gabrielle show low resilience to climate change’. Marnie began by discussing this report.
Manuia le vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa!
On the show for Rāapa:
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland Stephen Hoadley about Türkiye's presidential election.
Andre Fa’aoso speaks to Nikki Chamberlain, Senior Law Lecturer at the University of Auckland about New Zealand privacy laws and a recent press release that says our current Privacy Act is fit for 2011.
On the Green Desk Jack Marshall speaks to Doctor Andrea Harvey, a research fellow at the University of Technology Sydney about wild animal emotions.
Arno speaks with Ruhi Bajaj, doctoral researcher at the University of Auckland, about the potential to use smartwatches in clinical settings to give early warning signs.
Alex talked to Ben Van Bruggen of the Urban Room about city planning policies and how urban form makes a difference to our quality of life.
New Zealand's privacy laws are fit for 2011. That was the headline of a statement released by academics from the University of Auckland about the Privacy Act 2020. Lawyers at the University of Auckland have emphasised their concern of a lack of coverage that Privacy Act has for individual rights and use of regulatory tools by agencies in the time of the social media age. To talk more about what was meant by their statement and the recommendations that these academics are asking of the government, Andre Fa'aoso spoke to Nikki Chamberlain, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland.
Data from Fitbit smartwatches is being used to provide key information to healthcare providers, in a new study pioneered by University of Auckland doctoral student Ruhi Bajaj.
They developed a prototype app that would allow for tracking of vital signs to be analysed using machine learning and stored in a database, which could then be analysed by healthcare providers to provide early warning signs.
Arno spoke with Ruhi to find out more about the study. Arno started by asking what the hypothesis behind the study is.
Manuia le Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa - Happy Sāmoan Language Week.
To understand deeper what Sāmoan Language Week is about, and how University of Auckland students are celebrating, Wire producer Rosetta Stone spoke to the University of Auckland Sāmoan Students Association (UASSA) public relations officer Rina.
Jacoba Matapo is the first ever appointed Pro Vice Chancellor Pacific at AUT, and has specialised in Pacific early childhood and education. Rosetta spoke to Jacoba about preserving Sāmoan culture amongst younger generations and challenges facing Sāmoan language today.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT MP Karen Chhour about the National Party joining ACT in opposing government policy to increase housing density in major cities and calls to protect mining by big overseas companies on Aotearoa’s conservation land.
Nicholas talked to Anu Kaloti from Migrant Workers Association New Zealand about their petition to grant amnesty to all migrant workers who have overstayed their visa regardless of their country of origin.
And Leilani is the new host of Tomorrow's World — the segment that explores how science affects people and our future on planet Earth. For her first piece, she spoke to Pippa McKelvie-Sebileau, a Doctoral Candidate Population Health at the University of Auckland and Lisa Te Morenga, an Associate Professor in Nutrition and Māori Health about how 7 out of 10 Type 2 diabetes cases globally are related to poor diet, and how Aotearoa fits into that statistic.
Yesterday, nurses on ward 5 at Gisborne hospital walked off the job for an hour to protest their working conditions. Earlier in the week, Te Whatu Ora went to the employment court to try and stop the strike, but failed. Christine Warrander is a nurse on ward 5 at the hospital, and Simon began by asking her how yesterday’s strike went.
On The Wire for Rāpare this week,
Spike speaks to:
- Labour MP Andrew Little about the new US-Papua New Guinea security deal
- Professor James Russell about the kiwi Paora in Miami Zoo
- Michaela van der Schaaf from Auckland City Mission about increased demand for food assistance
Simon speaks to:
-
City Councillor Lotu Fuli about the Council budget and "nice to have" service cuts
-
Professor John Tookey about gas cooking and the growing "culture war" surrounding it
-
Gisborne Hospital nurse Christine Warrander about yesterday's nurses strike and Te Whatu Ora's legal action
and for Eurovision:
- David speaks to our European correspondent Cameron Adams about the Ukraine war and turmoil in Greek politics
Spike speaks to Professor of Conservation Biology James Russell about the kiwi Paora in Miami Zoo, and the right and wrong conditions for kiwi in captivity.
Spike speaks to Micaela van der Schaaf, director of food security at Auckland City Mission, about the recent rise in demand for food assistance.
In the USA, gas cooking has entered the culture wars with the way you cook becoming a part of your political identity. Professor John Tookey is a professor at AUT in the school of Future Environments and he discusses the issues around gas cooking, as well as whether we could see a political battle over the way you cook here in Aotearoa. Simon began by asking Professor Tookey what alternatives there are to gas cooking.
On the show for Rāapa:
Andre Fa’aoso speaks to Associate Professor Susan St John about the 2023 Budget and how it falls short in addressing family poverty, hardship and food insecurity.
Emilia chats to James Shaw in our weekly chat with the Green Party co-leader, this week they chat about the 140 million dollar subsidy for NZ Steel, they reflect on last week’s budget, and they chat about the Green Party’s candidate list ahead of the general election.
On the Green Desk Jack Marshall talks to Tai Lohrer from the University of Auckland about marine conservation areas.
Arno spoke to two E Tu union representatives, firstly Joe Gallagher about new funding to reduce carbon emissions at Glenbrook steel mill
And then Rachel Mackintosh about E Tu’s view on the 2023/2024 budget.
Alex, spoke to Pam Ford from Tataki Auckland Unlimited about the role the economic agency plays in the region.
Auckland Council's Economic Development Agency and Regional Facilities arm Tataki Auckland Unlimited has just announced the loss of 200 full time roles after being asked by the Mayor to find budget cuts of between $27.5m and $44.5m. In 2021 the Economic Development agency attracted nearly $440m of attributable direct private sector investment across all sectors. So far this financial year the agency has attracted nearly $305m into the screen sector alone. Alex spoke to Pam Ford, Director Investment and Industry at Tataki Auckland Unlimited about what a well-functioning economic development agency means for Auckland.
E tū Union members working at the New Zealand Steel mill in Glenbrook have welcomed the Government’s offer to contribute funding for new electric furnaces to halve coal use at the site. The $140 million dollar investment will require upskilling for workers to use.
Arno spoke with Joe Gallagher of E tū about the challenges involved in the transition, the benefits, and what workers would need to do to.
Arno started by asking for an overview of E tū Union.
The 2023 Budget aimed to do many things, including easing pressure on inflation and assisting vulnerable communities with rising costs.
Susan St John Honorary Associate Professor in the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Auckland and spokesperson to the Child Poverty Action Group says that the government needs to allocate more support to lift children out of poverty, address food insecurity, and support those in hardship. To receive more analysis on what Budget 2023 fell short on, Andre Fa'aoso spoke to Susan on The Wire.
On Dear Science, Dr Alan Blackman discussed wavy wounds healing faster than straight wounds, Saturn regaining its status as the planet with the most moons in the solar system, and more.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins covered the weekly interview with National’s Dr Shane Reti. This week they discussed the National Party’s response to the Government’s 2023 Budget.
She also spoke to Tony Sriamporn, a PhD student from the school of population health and medicine at the University of Auckland, who is investigating attitudes and behaviours towards blood donation amongst gay and bisexual men.
Beth Torrance-Hetherington asked Julie Anne Genter about the Greens' stance on public transport in the 2023 budget.
And Ah-Leen Rayner, CEO of the Breast Cancer Foundation, about women’s health in the budget.
And Jack Cormack-Neto interviewed Dr Paul Heyward, Associate Dean and Head of Initial Teacher Education, at the University of Auckland about what the budget means for the education sector.
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire! Join the Tuesday Wire team (Milly and Beth), as they discuss a variety of current affairs topics, including:
- Dear Science with Allan Blackman
- Beth Speaks to Eugenie Sage on Clive Palmer’s mineral permit
- Beth also spoke to Don Hine on the impacts of climate change on youth mental health
- Milly conducts a report into crime in the Auckland CBD
- And lastly, Milly speaks to Carrie Leonetti associate professor from the University of Auckland regarding expert-led domestic violence training for court judges
In her weekly catch up with the National Party's Dr Shane Reti, Milly speaks about the party's plans on the healthcare system,a workforce that is suffering staff shortages with huge flow on effects for New Zealanders. Nationals plans to incentivise beginning a career in nursing and midwifery and then focus on retention is how they are focussing on helping the struggling health industry.
Hanna Thompson spoke to Te Pati Māori's Takutai Kemp about their petition to remove the British Monarchy as our head of state, and former Labour MP Meka Whaitiri joining Te Pati Māori.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about Kiwirail track infrastructure problems, the Ute Tax, and ACT’s stance on calls for Aotearoa to become a republic.
And Vaccinologist at the University of Auckland Helen Petousois-Harris about her concerns Aotearoa could have a measles outbreak.
Caeden Tipler spoke to InsideOut’s Awhi Marshall and Waipapa Taumata Rau’s John Fenaughty on The Disinformation Project’s latest report on Transphobia in Aotearoa.
Nicholas, Lindstrom spoke to Lewis Holden from the New Zealand Republic campaign about why they believe Aotearoa should become a republic, and Graeme Edgeler, an expert in constitutional law, about the legal implications and processes of becoming a republic
A measles case has been confirmed in Aotearoa for the first time since 2019.
This comes as childhood immunisation rates are at some of the lowest levels in modern times.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Vaccinologist at the University of Auckland Helen Petousois-Harris, who says it would take a “miracle” for Aotearoa to avoid a measles outbreak.
She started off the interview by asking Petousis-Harris why we should be concerned about measles.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to the ACT Party’s Karen Chhour about ongoing issues with KiwiRail track infrastructure, the government's recent decision to increase the Ute Tax, and ACT’s stance on calls for Aotearoa to remove the British Monarchy as our head of state.
For their weekly catch up, Hanna spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about MP Meka Whaitiri quitting the Labour Party to join Te Pāti Māori. Whaitiri's statements indicate the jump was prompted by Labour dropping co-governance in its Three Waters reforms, disregarding obligations under Te Tiriti guaranteeing Māori authority over natural resources. They discussed what differentiates Te Pāti Māori from Labour, and why Whaitiri aligns herself more with the former than the latter.
Te Pāti Māori have also signed a letter with other inigenous peoples in the Commonwealth calling for the King to apologise for the harms of colonisation, and have a petition underway seeking to remove the British royal family as Aotearoa's head of state. Hanna and Takutai Kemp discussed these in light of the coronation of King Charles, and foundations for a Tiriti-centric Aotearoa.
The Disinformation Project released a report last week which confirmed that since Posie Parker's arrival in Aotearoa in late March, there has been an increase in anti-trans hate in far right circles.
Caeden spoke to Awhi Marshall (Te Arawa, Tainui) who is a student and InsideOut Kōaro board member on her perspective on the report as a trans and takatāpui person with experience in this space. Awhi uses she/they pronouns.
Caeden also spoke John Fenaughty, a cis (he/him) Senior Lecturer in Counselling, Human Services and Social Work at Waipapa Taumata Rau the University of Auckland. John spoke on anti-trans discrimination and the role of academics in gathering this data. Here are these interviews.
In the wake of cyclone gabrielle, the way that we build back from the widespread damage caused is a topic of debate. Safety needs to be ensured, and environmental considerations are also important. But how do we merge these two issues? With around 50% of all waste in the country coming from the building and demolition industries, more needs to be done to reuse materials. Dr. Kris Roy is a senior lecturer in Civil Engineering at the University of Waikato and is an expert on the circular economy and has spoken about 'building back better'. Simon began by asking Dr. Roy what it means to build back better.
Marnie Prickett is an expert on fresh water and is BFM's water reporter. For this month's chat Marnie goes in depth on the regional plans for the new fresh water policy that council's are discussing around the country at the moment. Marnie highlights why this policy is important and why everyone should submit their opinions to local councils. She also discusses the health of lakes in Taranaki. Marnie began by discussing regional freshwater policy and the impact it will have on our waterways.
AUKUS has continued to be a contentious topic within Aotearoa’s political discourse. Last week, Nanaia Mahuta said on Newshub Nation that there isn’t enough visibility on the pillars of AUKUS to comprehend what impacts it would have for Aotearoa. Last Friday there was an anti-AUKUS demonstration outside parliament. Led by the anti-AUKUS coalition, the ‘don’t be a dAUKUS’ protest urged Chris Hipkins to declare that Aotearoa won’t join the agreement.
To learn more about the anti-AUKUS coalition and the meaning behind the protest, Andre spoke to John Richards, spokesperson and member of the anti-AUKUS coalition.
To receive comments and analysis firstly on John Richards’s comments about AUKUS, and about Nanaia Mahuta’s denial of Aoteroa joining AUKUS, Andre then spoke to Doctor Arama Rata from Te Kuaka, a group that advocates for progressive foreign policy.
Slated for a July launch, the Euclid satellite will scan the depths of the universe in order to help astronomers and other scientists better understand physics and the origins of the universe.
The two tonne satellite will be launched on a SpaceX rocket, and it features two sets of imaging equipment capable of taking photos of parts of the universe 10 billion years old.
Arno spoke to Richard Easther, University of Auckland astrophysicist about the Euclid satellite. Arno started by asking him what astronomers hope to uncover.
Vaping policy has become a hot topic, with New Zealand set to introduce restrictions on traditional tobacco products. The government yesterday announced it would not be making vaping prescription-only this parliamentary term.
Overseas, some countries have already banned flavoured vapes outright.
Kelly Burrowes has been researching the health effects of vaping and its effects on society from her post at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute. Arno started off the interview with Kelly by asking if politicians were beating around the bush.
This week on Wednesday's Wire...
Emilia chats to Green Party Co-Leader James Shaw about the Emissions Trading Scheme following advice from the Climate Change Commission.
Andre talks to Anti-AUKUS Coalition member, John Richards, and Dr Arama Rata about the anti-AUKUS protest outside of Parliament last week and Nanaia Mahuta’s comments on Newshub Nation about AUKUS.
On The Green Desk, Jack Marshall interviews Julie Dillip from the University of Victoria about the state of Aotearoa’s wetlands.
Nicholas spoke to Professor Craig Elliffe about the IRD wealth tax reports and its implications on our tax system.
Arno speaks to Kelly Burrowes, from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, about prescription-model vaping
Arno also speaks to Richard Easther, astrophysicist at the University of Auckland, about the Euclid space mission
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire! This week on the show:
- A purrfect Dear Science coming up very shortly with Joel Rindelaub and the Tuesday Wire team!
- Beth Speaks to Lokesh Padhye from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Auckland University about the Three Waters Overhaul.
- Milly has her weekly catchup with Dr Shane Reti from the National Party regarding Chris Hipkin’s newly announced budget as well as National’s plans with the agriculture industry
- Milly speaks to Angela Meyer from the Gender Project on the largest study into Single Parents in Aotearoa that was released this morning
- Friend of the Tuesday Wire Jack Cormack-Neto speaks to Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker about the fourth wave of COVID that New Zealand is experiencing right now.
Whakarongo ki konei!
On The Wire for Rāhina Monday.
Hanna Thompson spoke to Te Pati Māori's Takutai Kemp about the Inland Revenue Department's High-Wealth Individuals Research Report, the underfunding of Kura.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins chatted with ACT’s Karen Chhour about the IRD Report and a possible congestion charging scheme.
And Community Pharmacy owner in Te Awamutu, and member of the Prescription Access Initiative, Gina Perry, about their calls to remove prescription fees.
Caeden Tipler spoke to Renters United National Organiser Eimhin O’Shea and Gina Dao-McLay from the Green Party about the National Party’s new renting policy.
And Alex Bonham talked to Associate Professor Linda Tyler from the University of Auckland about the evolving role of libraries.
The National Party have announced a new renting policy, claiming if elected they'll bring back no-cause rental terminations and tax breaks for landlords. National's housing spokesperson Chris Bishop claims this move is "pro-tenant" but there have been many vocal opponents over the past few days.
Caeden spoke with two people who have criticised the announcement, Eimhin O'Shea from Renters United and Gina Dao-McLay, Green Party candidate for Mana.
Firstly Caeden spoke to Eimhin, then spoke to Gina on their perspective.
For their weekly catch-up, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about the Inland Revenue Department's High-Wealth Individuals Research Report, Chris Hipkins' announcement that the government will not implement any capital gains tax, wealth tax, or cyclone tax in this year's budget, and the government's call for cross-party support on a possible congestion charging scheme.
A new survey of 150 community pharmacists in Aotearoa has found that government prescription fees contribute to serious health issues and cause significant community distress.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Gemma Perry, a Community Pharmacy owner in Te Awamutu.
Perry is a member of the Prescription Access Initiative, a group working to enact change around copayments about this.
She started by asking Perry why removing prescription fees for medication is necessary.
Spike speaks to Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley about Biden's official 2024 campaign announcement, and how the election cycle is currently shaping up.
Spike speaks to author and inequality researcher Max Rashbrooke about the new IRD report on the effective tax rates of the wealthiest families in Aotearoa.
It has been 10 years since the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh that killed over a thousand garment workers. It was seen as a flashpoint in the fast fashion industry and led to some change. But fast fashion is still popular and workers and the environment are still exploited by the industry. Mike Lee is an associate professor in marketing at Auckland university, and he discussed the Rana Plaza collapse as well as why fast fashion is still popular even though more is now known about the conditions many workers face. Mike began by discussing what happened in Bangladesh in 2013.
The Crescent Under the Southern Cross is a short documentary that tells the story of Four muslim men who served for the Australian Defence Force during World War two. Last week, the director of the film, Dr. Simon Wilmot spoke about why these men were in Australia, and what they did during the war. This week in part two, Dr. Wilmot highlights how these men were treated after the war, and the effect the White Australia immigration policy had on them. He also discusses why it is important to remember these men's stories. This week he begins by sharing what was promised to them upon their return.
This week on the Rāpare Wire,
Spike speaks to:
- Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley about Biden's campaign announcement yesterday and the outlook for the 2024 US election
- Max Boraman about his recent piece on the Aotearoa union movement of the long 70s
- and Max Rashbrooke about the new IRD report on the effective tax rates of the wealthiest families in Aotearoa
Simon speaks to:
-
Manukau Councillor Lotu Fuli about the council budget submission statistics on this week's City Counselling
-
Associate Professor Mike Lee on the 10 year anniversary of the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse and the continuation of fast fashion
-
and Part 2 of last week's interview with Dr. Simon Wilmot about his documentary covering the story of Muslim ANZACs in WWII
Spike speaks to Max Boraman, Professor of Politics at Massey University, about his recent piece on the Aotearoa union movement of the late 60s to 80s, and how they were able to combat a previous cost of living crisis.
A massive study has been undertaken involving tens of thousands of accounting questions across hundreds of university campuses. These questions were fed into ChatGPT AI software, and the answers marked by the professors as though they were student’s answers.
The results were quite astonishing.
Arno spoke to Ruth Dimes, Business masters programme director at the University of Auckland, to find out more about the study and to see how real humans stack up against our AI counterparts. Arno started by asking about the aims of the study.
On the Wednesday Wire with Andre:
Host Andre Fa'aoso spoke with Doctor Arama Rata about the domestic tensions around New Zealand joining the AUKUS security-pact.
Jack Cormack-Neto chatted to Principal Science Advisor at the NZ Drug Foundation, Emily Hughes, about what they found at drug checking during 2022.
On The Green Desk, Jack Marshall interviewed Marine Ecologist Aaron Egerhe about the economic value of kelp forests.
Producer Alex Bonham spoke to Chief Executive Officer of Ecomatters Environment Trust, Carla Gee and senior organic waste advisor at the Auckland Council Elise O’Brien, about the potential for food scraps to improve soils and avoid tonnes emissions each year.
Producer Arno spoke to Richard Easther, astrophysicist at the University of Auckland, about the SpaceX Starship launch.
Arno also spoke with Ruth Dimes, Business masters programme director at the University of Auckland, about a study comparing students performance to ChatGPT AI.
In Aotearoa, drug checking is a free, legal, and confidential service that aims to help people find out what is actually in their drugs so they can make informed decisions about if, when, and how they take them
Last week, the NZ Drug Foundation released its 2022 drug checking data report.
Jack Cormack-Neto spoke to Principal Science Advisor, Emily Hughes, about the impact of their drug checking clinics.
AUKUS - a security pact signed between Australia, the UK and the US is a contentious topic for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Due to its pro-nuclear sentiments, New Zealand has been inherently hesitant to join the pact because of the impact it could have on New Zealand’s diplomatic relations with its Asia-Pacific allies.
Anti-AUKUS sentiments have dominated the political discourse around the topic, with many academics and politicians past and present against the pact because of the geopolitical tensions it could muster. Former Prime Minister Helen Clark called the AUKUS deal an “entanglement” that New Zealand shouldn’t get itself into.
To receive more input, Andre Fa'aoso spoke with Doctor Arama Rata, an independent researcher and spokesperson for Te Kuaka, a group that advocates for progressive foreign policy.
The SpaceX Starship rocket launch, which led to a subsequent explosion, can hardly be called a failure. Scientists involved learned a lot about rocket design through the partial launch, and even NASA has lauded the mission as a success.
Elon Musk has been accused of ignoring advice around the launchpad design that might have led to the failure of the rocket to complete its circumnavigation around the earth, but this remains as conjecture in the astrophysics community.
Arno spoke to University of Auckland astrophysicist Richard Easther to find out more about the launch: to find out what went wrong, and what went right. Arno started by asking if the launch was expected to fail.
Founder of Consent Law Reform NZ and Auckland University Students’ Association Women's Rights Officer Layba Zubair is calling on the government to reassess Aotearoa’s consent laws.
The NZ Crimes Act 1961 currently only defines in what circumstances a person cannot give consent.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Zubair about why Aotearoa needs a clear definition of consent, and their plans to make an oral submission to the Justice Committee on 4 May.
Yesterday a protest happened in Mission Bay to call for an end to bottom trawling in the Tīkapa Moana Hauraki Gulf.
Bottom trawling is the dragging of heavy weighted nets across the sea floor to catch fish. It's used frequently by commercial fisheries as it's easier to catch fish in larger quantities.
Caeden spoke to Bianca Ranson (Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa, Ngāpuhi), Forest & Bird's Hauraki Gulf Coordinator, on the protest and why bottom trawling needs to be banned.
For their weekly catch-up, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about the annual inflation rate, National's recently launched agriculture policy, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority's review into the 2022 parliament occupation.
The University of Otago, has told staff to expect large-scale redundancies and warned that hundreds could lose their jobs over the next 18 months.
News and Editroial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Otago University Students’ Association President Quintin Jane about these proposed redundancies and how they would impact students.
This week marks the start of the second term of the school year for students across Aotearoa.
For education staff it means a return to roles that are often undervalued in our society.
An often under represented group in education reform action, principals across the country have started a work-ban this week.
The ban seeks to highlight the work Principals do and to garner some recognition from the ministry of education.
I sat down with Lynda Stuart, lead negotiator for the New Zealand Institute of Education about the work-ban and how the government can better support principals.
This week on Eurovision, David speaks to our European correspondent Cameron Adams about the state of the Ukraine war, Germany legalising cannabis, the fallout of French pension reforms, and the European Space Agency sending a probe to one of Jupiter's moons.
Spike speaks to Professor of Maori Studies Margaret Mutu about Joseph Mooney's recent comments on the application of tino rangatiratanga, and the long history of the rejection of Te Tiriti.
After weeks of action from teacher unions, Minister of Education Jan Tinetti has announced a plan to reduce classroom ratios for Year 4-8 classes. Spike speaks to the head of the New Zealand Education Institute Mark Potter about the announcement and what more needs to be done.
Crescent Under The Southern Cross is a short documentary that tells the story of four muslim men who fought in the Australian Defence Forces in World War Two. Dr Simon Wilmot directed and produced the documentary and in this two part interview he talks in depth about how these men ended up in Australia, the immigration policies that they faced at the time, the role they played in the war, as well as why it is important to tell their stories. In part one Dr. Wilmot discusses how these men arrived in Australia, how they ended up in the Defence Forces, and the important missions they were involved in.
Tune in next week for part two where he talks about how these men were received when they arrived back in Australia after the war, as well as the implications of the white Australia immigration policy that was in force at the time, and why this story is an important part of Australian history.
Spike speaks to Ellie Hooper, an oceans campaigner from Greenpeace, about bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf, and the push from the public to ban it.
Kia ora, and welcome to The Wire for Rāpare!
Today, Spike speaks to:
-
NZEI head Mark Potter about the new classroom ratio announcement
-
Professor Margaret Mutu about tino rangatiratanga and the effort to undermine Te Tiriti
-
and Greenpeace campaigner Ellie Hooper about bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf
Simon speaks to:
-
Councillor Shane Henderson about the flood response report, West Coast beaches and AT's parking strategy
-
Associate Professor Margaret Stanley about wallaby population control in Otago
-
and Dr. Simon Wilmot about his new documentary documenting the stories of four Muslim ANZAC soldiers
and on Eurovision:
- David speaks to our European correspondent Cameron Adams about the state of the Ukraine war, Germany legalising cannabis, the fallout of French pension reforms, and the ESA sending a probe to one of Jupiter's moons
It has been reported that millions of dollars has been spent in Otago to control populations of wallabies, but some critics are saying that money is being spent with little results. Associate Professor Margaret Stanley from the University of Auckland disagrees that this is wasted money, and highlights the importance of controlling wallaby populations. Simon began by asking Margaret why complaints towards the money spent are misguided.
Last week Environment Minister David Parker agreed that Auckland Council could have more time to change its planning rules to allow greater intensification but he instructed the council that they had to reduce the amount of impermeable spaces like concrete driveways and plan for a sponge city. Alex Bonham talked to landscape architect Matthew Bradbury, an Associate Professor at Unitect and author of the book Water City what a sponge city is and what it might look like.
If you have been exposed to negative news about vaccine side-effects, you are more likely to be affected by them. This is known as the nocebo effect.
Dr Kate MacKrill, health psychologist at the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland, has been studying the nocebo effect in context of Covid-19 vaccinations and has made some startling discoveries.
Her research shows people are markedly more likely to receive negative side effects from vaccines after seeing bad things about them in the media.
Arno started the interview by asking what the nocebo effect is.
Feral cat hunting was a prize category at the North Canterbury Hunting Competition up until today, when public backlash caused event organisers to remove the category.
Arno spoke to Will Appelbe from Save Animals From Exploitation, abbreviated as SAFE, to find out more about the hunting event and to determine why a competition involving hunting feral cats is inhumane and generally a bad idea.
Arno started the interview by asking what SAFE’s position on the competition was.
The bus driver shortage has seen around 1000 buses cancelled per day. Alex Bonham talks to transport campaigner Matt Lowrie of Greater Auckland blog on the impact of delays and cancellations on Aucklanders and what can be done to improve wages and safety for bus drivers.
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire! This week on the show:
- The Tuesday Wire team is joined in the studio by Allan Blackman who talks about accidental scientific discoveries
- Beth Speaks to Rhys Jones, Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, regarding climate change being a Health and Equity issue
- Milly speaks to Emma Powell of Te Puna Aonui regarding the reduction and possible eventual elimination of Family and sexual violence in New Zealand.
- Milly also speaks to Rajshri Roy from the University of Auckland regarding a new study revealing that most new type two diabetes diagnosises are coming from an inadequate diet.
On Saturday 15 April, nationwide rallies were held to raise awareness about the nursing shortage and urge politicians to help secure better working conditions.
It was the first time the New Zealand Nurses Organisation had called on all of its 57,000 members to rally at once.
Nicholas spoke to Organization spokesperson Kerri Nuku about the rallies, their five fixes for the nursing crisis, and how the public can support Nurses.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins talked to ACT’s Karen Chhour about Three Waters and the government’s decision to keep the mandatory seven-day COVID-19 isolation period.
Hanna Thompson spoke to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about the Three Waters rebrand and Green MP Marama Davidson not contesting Tāmaki Makaurau.
Caeden Tipler spoke to Colleen Brown about the findings from the new Child Poverty Action Group report.
And on Get Action! Caeden Tipler spoke to Sophie Handford about Climate Resilience Recovery for the regular Get Action! Segment
Nicholas spoke to New Zealand Nurses Organisation spokesperson Kerri Nuku about the nationwide rallies which took place on Saturday and the organisation's five fixes for the nursing shortage.
The Intergenerational Climate Ambassadors have published an open letter on Action Station calling on MPs to implement a climate resilient Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.
The letter highlights the need for participatory democracy, listening to indigenous voices, and land use planning as key ways to address the climate crisis.
For Get Action! this week, I interviewed Sophie Handford, Councillor, Activist, and ambassador for the Intergenerational Climate Ambassadors, on why she helped write the open letter.
A report from the Child Poverty Action Group has found measures to address child poverty are leaving behind Māori, Pasifika, and disabled children as well as children of solo parents.
The report signalled that despite some progress, child poverty rates in Aotearoa mean we are still failing to uphold the legal rights of the child under the articles of the UN convention.
Caeden spoke to Colleen Brown, disability spokesperson for the Child Poverty Action Group about the report and what it means for Aotearoa.
Chris Hipkins has today announced an overhaul of Three Waters. It has been a contentious piece of legislation due to certain aspects of what it entails. What is not contentious is how bad water infrastructure in Aotearoa New Zealand is. Simon spoke with research fellow at Otago University Marnie Prickett about Three Waters and the need for better water infrastructure. I also spoke with Marnie about the recent report from the ministry of environment that stated just 2% of large lakes in Aotearoa New Zealand were in “good or very good” health. Marnie began by highlighting why our waters are so polluted.
Kia ora, and welcome to The Wire for Rāpare!
This week, Spike speaks to:
-
Labour MP Andrew Little about the Abuse in Care redress system announcement and AU Defense Minister Richard Marles' visit to Aotearoa
-
and Supie CEO Sarah Belle about supermarket duopoly competition
Simon speaks to:
-
Councillor Lotu Fuli about the Auckland Council budget and the recent Anniversary floods report
-
Marnie Prickett about the state of lakes and Three Waters
-
Researcher Molly Grant about the new Growing Up child material hardship report
And on Eurovision:
- David talks to our European correspondent Cameron Adams about Macron's visit to China and Biden's visit to Ireland
Growing up in New Zealand recently released their latest findings in their longitudinal study on material hardship in Aotearoa New Zealand. Simon spoke with researcher Molly Grant about the findings and also about what needs to be done to alleviate material hardship for young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Molly began by explaining what the research looked into.
Arno Cronje spoke to University of Auckland Researcher Dr Emily Harvey and University of Otago Professor Michael Baker on Cabinet's decision to retain self-isolation requirements for COVID-19.
And communications meteorologist at MetService, Andrew James, on the recent tornado in Auckland
Alex Bonham interviewed Dennis Maga, the General Secretary of First Union, about the challenges of recruiting bus drivers.
And climate scientist Kevin Trenberth how carbon credits work.
And on The Green Desk, Jack Marshall talked to Department of Conservation Ranger Jamie McAulay about their research into Aotearoa’s weasel pest control problem.
Auckland has been hit by a tornado, just two months after devastation by Cyclone Gabrielle and three months after deadly flooding hit the area.
More than 30 calls were received by emergency services, with trees toppled and roofs lifting off houses in East Tamaki.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported: but this spate of freak weather events left more questions to be answered.
Arno spoke to Andrew James, communications meteorologist at MetService, to find out more about tornadoes and freak weather events.
Arno started the interview by asking Andrew how tornadoes are formed.
On Monday, Cabinet announced it would not be removing the COVID-19 self-isolation requirement of seven days.
This is hoped to continue to contribute to New Zealand having one of the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates in the developed world.
Arno spoke to Dr Emily Harvey, a researcher from the University of Auckland who created scientific models to see what would happen if the requirement was removed or not closely followed by most people.
Arno started off by asking what the scope of the research conducted was.
Next, Arno spoke about COVID-19 self-isolation requirements with epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker.
Arno started by asking what his opinion was on the potential removal of self-isolation requirements from law.
Since Covid there has been a bus driver shortage leading to around 1000 buses being cancelled every day. Alex talked to Dennis Maga, the General Secretary of First Union about the challenge to recruit drivers. Pay is part of the problem but so are working conditions. Maga describes the realities of doing split shifts, the impact on health and family life, and how bus drivers feel a duty of care for their passengers even when they are subjected to verbal and, occasionally, physical abuse.
Recent advice to the government suggested that the cost of international carbon credits to meet New Zealand's climate obligations might be as high as $23.7 billion dollars by 2030. Alex talked to climate scientist Kevin Trenberth about how carbon credits work (do they work?) and how else one might spend the money to mitigate and prepare New Zealand for the climate impacts ahead.
Morgan Donoghue is the spokesperson for Ours Not Mines, an organisation that is standing up against the mining company OceanaGold and the New Zealand government over a proposed gold mine on conservation land in the Coromandel. In 2017 the Labour government promised no more mines on conservation land, yet OceanaGold is in the process of acquiring resource consent for a gold mine under conservation land. Simon began by getting Morgan to explain what OceanaGold is doing in the Coromandel and the implications of the proposed mine.
Following the deaths of two infants, doctors and scientists worry that this winter could see a whooping cough epidemic unlike those seen in recent years. Helen Petousis-Harris is an associate professor of primary health at the University of Auckland, and she spoke to Simon about the low vaccination rates and those that are at the most risk in the community. Simon started by asking Helen what whooping cough is.
Kia ora, and welcome to The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!
This week, Spike speaks to:
-
Labour MP Andrew Little about high rates of Defence Force attrition and the AUKUS alliance
-
and Scott Optican about Trump's recent arrest, and its potential implications
Simon speaks to:
-
Councillor Shane Henderson about Auckland Light Rail, the proposed extra harbour crossing and communities still recovering post-cyclone
-
Morgan Donoghue from Ours Not Mines on mining on conservation land
-
and Helen Petousis-Harris on a potential whooping cough epidemic
Spike speaks to Auckland University Associate Professor of Law Scott Optican about Trump's arrest in Manhattan this week, and the potential implications of the cases against him.
Better housing, income equality, and better access to healthcare and education are some of the things researchers believe will improve the quality of living for Pasifika children in Aotearoa. The recommendations are in a report titled Tamaiti Ole Moana, and alongside the recommendations of the report is a 10-year-pacific health plan driven to provide better outcomes for Pacific children and families.
The health plan focuses on improving Pasifika’s access to quality housing, boosting incomes, improving access to quality healthcare, and finally, a quality education.
Andre Fa'aoso spoke with Dr Teuila Percival, Paediatrician and Director of Moana Connect in the studio this morning. I first asked her whether the government had been receptive to the report.
Mātai Medical Research Institute and the Auckland Bioengineering Institute are working on new research to generate complete computerised models of children’s physiology, particularly internal organs.
Currently, the only modelling data available is incomplete, from overseas, or of adult organs. Researchers hope to develop an idea of what normal physiology for New Zealand children looks like in order to allow for earlier detection of abnormalities.
Arno spoke to Dr Haribalan Kumar of the Auckland Bioengineering Institute to find out more.
Arno started our interview by asking why complete child physiology models were only now being created.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s plan to address the budget shortfall includes cutting funding to many public services, while retaining expensive golf courses that ratepayers are paying for.
It also suggests selling public assets like shares in Auckland Airport to help fill a $295m budget shortfall.
FIRST Union, a union representing 30,000 workers in Aotearoa, recently made a budget submission to Auckland Council. They branded Mayor Wayne Brown’s Submission as insufficient and irredeemable, and made several suggestions for improvement.
Arno spoke to FIRST Union President Robert Reid, and started off by asking what FIRST’s position is on the proposed $21m budget cut for bus services.
On The Wire for Rāhina Monday:
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins discussed the minimum wage and benefits increase and an alternative Waitematā Harbour crossing with ACT’s Karen Chhour.
Jessica Hopkins talked to Public Transport Users Association spokesperson John Reeves about mass bus cancellations in Tāmakai Makaurau.
Hanna Thompson spoke to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about addressing child poverty in Aotearoa, reforming our welfare system, and indigenous foreign policy.
Nicholas Lindstrom interviewed associate professor Paula Morris about the state of New Zealand literature, the Auckland City Council budget, funding for the arts and the Aotearoa book review, and a new literature review website.
And Caeden Tipler spoke to several experts on our melting glaciers and what that means for climate change.
Aotearoa’s relentless summer has caused an unprecedented decline of our glaciers, some of which have now mostly vanished. The La Niña weather pattern meant record high sea temperatures on the West Coast. This caused the air to warm as far as the alpine glaciers. Scientists have famously called melting glaciers “global warming’s coalmine canaries” because of their link to temperature and precipitation. Caeden Tipler spoke to Drew Lorrey, Climate and Environment Applications Principal Scientist at NIWA, about the link between glaciers and climate change, as well as the importance of us paying attention to them.
This week there has been a lot of conversation around Marama Davidson's comments about white cis men and the violence perpetrated by them. Eileen Joy is a social worker and researcher who is researching child protection and domestic violence in Aotearoa. Her work and research has given her first hand experience about the problems of violence in Aotearoa New Zealand, and she has supported Davidson's comments. Simon spoke with Eileen about these issues. She began by discussing her views on Davidson's comments, as well as the prevalence of white male violence in Aotearoa. Just a warning, this segment contains discussions about domestic violence.
Andre Fa’aoso spoke to Sandra Morrison from the University of Waikato and Christina Tausa from the University of Canterbury about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s most recent Synthesis Report from a Māori and Pasifika perspective.
Arno Cronje talked to Molly Grant, a researcher from the University of Auckland and author of the Growing Up in New Zealand research program on child poverty rates.
Alex Bonham spoke with Cath Handley, Waiheke Local Board chair and Elena Keith from Quiet Sky Waitemata about the impacts of helicopters on the city’s suburbs and islands.
And on the Green Desk, Jack Marshall discussed polyamorous southern elephant seals with a PhD Student at the University of Tasmania, Sophia Volzke.
Statistics New Zealand recently released data showing no improvement for children living in material hardship over the past year.
Arno spoke to Molly Grant, a researcher at the University of Auckland conducting a survey of over 5000 children in a project called Growing Up in New Zealand. She has uncovered some of the symptoms of childhood poverty and is calling for policy changes to help urgently increase some of the country’s lowest incomes.
Arno started the interview by asking if New Zealand was “the best place in the world to grow up”, set as a government goal four years ago.
According to the Child Poverty Action Group, the latest figures measuring child poverty rates in Aotearoa show no real improvement.
Stats NZ reports that about one in 10 children experience material hardship. For tamariki Māori, this is 1 in 5 and 1 in 4 for Pasifika children.
News & Editorial Director spoke to Māori paediatrician, lecturer in the school of medicine at the University of Auckland, and Child Poverty Action Group spokesperson on issues affecting Māori tamariki and whānau, Dr Danny de Lore, about this.
They started the interview by summarising the latest child poverty statistics.
The proposed cuts are set to affect many public services, including the city's libraries. Duane Leo is the National Secretary for The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. Simon spoke with Duane about the funding of public services and the broad range of people that use them. Simon began by asking Duane why libraries are important to the community.
Ruth Buchanan is an Auckland based artist and the Kaitohu Director at Artspace Aotearoa. Simon spoke with Ruth about the role council funding plays in making art more accessible and how council funding helps support the arts ecosystem here in Auckland.
Public transport has been particularly strained in Auckland recently, with the proposed budget looking to limit services to their current levels, and reducing total bus trips overall. Spike speaks to urban planning researcher Dr. Tim Welch about the current state of public transit, and the cuts proposed by the Council.
Community group Stop the Cuts has just released their findings from a survey of over a thousand people in the Auckland arts and culture sector, asking them how they predict they'll be affected by the currently proposed Council budget cuts. Spike speaks to Elyssia Wilson-Heti from the group about the survey.
Kia ora, and welcome to The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!
Today on the show, Spike speaks to:
-
Dr. Tim Welch on the proposed Auckland Transport budget cuts
-
and Elyssia Wilson-Heti about Stop the Cuts' new survey of the arts and culture sector and their view of the proposed cuts
And Simon speaks to:
-
Counsellor Shane Henderson for City Counselling on the community response to the budget, and how submissions to Council budgets work
-
Public Service Assocation National Secretary Duane Leo about the importance of libraries and their proposed cuts
-
and Ruth Buchanan from Artspace about the importance of council funding for artists and galleries
If you want to submit to the Auckland Council budget consulation, you can do so here.
Thanks for listening!
In the pursuit of meeting emissions reduction targets, the transition to electric vehicles is seeming like a bit of a necessity.
With battery range and charging stations a worry for EV owners, the government and research organisations from around the world are banding together to come up with new solutions to instil confidence in EV fleets.
Andre Fa’aoso spoke to Doug Wilson, Director of the Transportation Research Centre at the University of Auckland.
The research facility based in the Faculty of Engineering is designing and testing the possibilities of wireless charging roads in Aotearoa to remedy range anxiety for EV owners.
The partnership between Downer and the University of Auckland has been tasked with testing the resilience and application of this technology on our roads.
Andre started off by asking Doug about what this technology is and how it works.
In a follow up statement, Doug shared the idea of ‘power snacking’.
Doug says that power snacking “is very different to the current need to carry around a tank full of gas or a very large and heavy battery that takes longer to charge. For example, if you can charge your ‘EV on the go’ (at your origin, destination and on the way dynamically) then you can reduce the size of your battery as range anxiety is removed. This also has the significant environmental benefit of requiring less rare earth minerals (eg. cobalt, nickel and lithium) as the batteries are smaller in size and are also reduced weight. This can only be done with wireless charging but the wireless EV infrastructure will need to be in place for this to affect potential users purchasing behaviours.”
Congestion in the city centre last night held up vehicle traffic and delayed buses for up to an hour. This morning a number of organisations paid for a front page wrap around ad in the Herald promoting cycling.
Alex talked to Big Street Bikers' Cleve Cameron about how enabling cycling in the city might unclog the streets so everyone can get around quickly, cheaply and efficiently.
Collaborators at several universities are testing a new faith-based smoking cessation method around the tradition of Ramadan and Muslim culture. Studies show Muslim men have high smoking rates, and this study seeks to implement a cessation method for the next Ramadan.
Arno spoke to Abdullah Dilla Kalantan, doctoral researcher at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, to find out more about this project. Arno started by asking what the role of religion was in quitting smoking.
Scientists have been calling for a ban for light-polluting mass satellite groups like Elon Musk’s Starlink for some time now, and a series of papers and opinion pieces published in the journal Nature Astronomy have echoed these calls. Scientists are concerned that the light pollution from these so-called megaconstellations make it difficult to view objects in space for research, to see the stars at night, and to detect potentially hazardous meteors heading towards Earth.
Arno spoke to University of Auckland astrophysicist Professor Richard Easther to find out more about the call to regulate mass satellite groups.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly spoke to Bianca Ranson from Forest and Bird regarding the recent closure of the Scallop Fishery in the Hauraki Gulf. Overfishing and pollution in the Gulf have led to issues in biodiversity and the collapse of many species, Bianca Ranson explains how and why this has happened. She also informs listeners on some local activism they can get involved with to protect the species in our Gulf.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its Synthesis Report for the Sixth Assessment Cycle yesterday on the 20th March 2023. With it's main criteria being mitigation and adaptation. Milly spoke to Alister Woodward is professor of medical epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Auckland on the Tuesday Wire, regarding the findings of the reports and what this means for public health.
In her weekly catchup with Dr Shane Reti on the Tuesday Wire, Milly discusses both school teachers and healthcare workers, who are struggling in thier industries. Shane fills us in on what the National Party's views are when it comes to these two vital industries with workers that feel understaffed and undepaid.
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire with Milly and producer Beth!
This week:
- Milly and Beth talk all things Fungi with Joel Rindelaub for Dear Science
- Milly has her weekly catch-up with Shane Reti and speaks to him about both healthcare workers and teachers who are struggling in their sectors
- Beth speaks to Hera Lindsay Bird about a new advice column in the Spinoff.
- Milly speaks to Professor Alister Woodward from the University of Auckland regarding the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- And Milly also spoke to Bianca Ranson from Forest and Bird about the closure of the Scallop fishery in the Hauraki Gulf.
Hera Lindsay Bird, Aotearoa poet and writer, has started a new advice column in the online magazine, The Spinoff called Help me Hera. This week Beth spoke to her about the new column as well as some of her other creative outlets. You can send questions in for Hera at helpme@thespinoff.co.nz.
For their weekly catch-up, News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT MP Karen Chhour about the government banning TikTok from all parliamentary devices, and reprioritising its spending to refocus on the cost of living and Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.
For their weekly catch up, Hanna spoke to Takutai Kemp, Te Pāti Māori's candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau, about climate adaptation. They discussed the ongoing impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle, Te Pāti Māori's proposals for a Māori adaptation fund and collaboration between the Crown and whānau, hapū and iwi, and insights to be gleamed from tikanga when designing policy.
On The Wire for Rāhina Monday...
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to ACT’s Karen Chhour about the government banning TikTok from all parliamentary devices and reprioritising spending to refocus on the cost of living and Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.
Hanna Thompson talks to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about the ongoing impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle and centring indigenous voices in the climate crisis debate.
Caeden Tipler speaks to Samah Huriwai-Seger from the Aotearoa Liberation League and Hibiscus and Bays Local Board member Jake Law about an anti-co-governance roadshow in Ōrewa.
Nicholas Lindstrom chats to “Tutira Mai” Cyclone Relief Concert volunteer Lewis Johnson about the event.
And Alex Bonham interviews urban advocate and former Christchurch councillor Mike Davidson about how we can make our cities safer for tamariki
Nicholas Lindstrom interviews volunteer Lewis Johnson about his role in the aftermath of cyclone Gabrielle and the work he did for the 'Tutira Mai' Relief Concert hosted at Pipitea Marae.
A protest against an anti co-governance speech in Ōrewa has gained national attention over the weekend.
Julian Batchelor has been on tour across the country, sparking frequent protests over his anti-co governance rhetoric and spread of what critics say is harmful misinformation.
Caeden Tipler spoke to Samah Huriwai-Seger, an activist with the Aotearoa Liberation League about the lead-up to and her impression of the protest.
Caeden also spoke to Jake Law, a Hibiscus and Bays Local Board member, who was present at the rally in Ōrewa on Saturday.
This week Prime Minister Hipkins announced a plan to scrap cuts to speed limits on many roads. The safety benefits of lowering speed limits has been well documented, but Professor Len Gillman is an advocate for the lowering of speed limits to help reduce emissions. Simon began by asking Professor Gillman what the benefits of lowering speed limits across Aotearoa are.
Samaritans Aotearoa New Zealand is an organisation that allows people to speak to empathetic volunteers who can help them deal with emotional and practical issues they are experiencing. In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, many people have called in with various issues and been given an empathetic ear by the Samaritans. Arno spoke to Tony Robinson, chairman of Samaritans Aotearoa New Zealand to find out more about the organisation. Firstly, Arno asked him about the mission of Samaritans.
If you or a loved one needs someone to talk to about any problems, please call them on 0800 72 66 66.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly has her weekly catch-up with the National Party's Dr Shane Reti, and speaks to him about Housing Minister Chris Bishop's most recent speech delivered last week. In the speech, Chris Bishop revealed a number of changes regarding legislation and policy to do with the current build-to-rent scheme, including changes to the Overseas Investment Act and to the Income Tax Act. Dr Shane Reti and Milly discuss the current issues to do with housing and the party's plans to help ease the pressure on the housing market.
The average New Zealander emits over 6 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, and 1.4 tonnes of this comes from electricity usage. Ecotricity has become the first energy company in Aotearoa to become climate positive certified. In today's Wire Beth spoke to the co-founder and CEO of Ecotricity Al Yates about the company.
Why don't the world's other humanitarian crises see the same response as Ukraine? As beautiful as the response has been, why is there a discrepancy with people from other countries seeking refuge?
Daniel asked this question to Ritesh Shah, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland. His research bridges several disciplines — including sociology, politics, international relations, and anthropology.
Kia Ora, and welcome to The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!
This week on the show, Spike speaks to:
-
Andrew Little on ongoing support from NZDF for regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, and the recent controversy surrounding public servants and their political neutrality code of conduct
-
Associate Professor Kelly Burrowes on health inequities for women in regards to research, clinical trials and disease screening
-
and Gresham Bradley from Rainbow New Zealand about Georgina Beyer and her legacy as a campaigner, politician and landmark figure
And Simon speaks to:
- Professor John Morgan about the future of Auckland
-
Dr. Ayesha Scott on investing with a gender lens
-
and Dr. Ulrich Speidel on his thoughts around the communication outages after Cyclone Gabrielle, and how to make infrastructure more resilient
That's us for the Thursday Wire!
Japan says it is revising an action plan on the release of radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean this year. However, many in the Pacific as well as globally have opposed this move, which seeks to dump one million tonnes of water into the pacific.
The University of Auckland’s Dr Karly Burch is a lecturer in sociology who has been researching the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power disaster for the past 12 years. Arno spoke with her to find out more.
He started by asking what Japan was planning to do with the nuclear wastewater Japan has been using to cool the overheated nuclear plant.
Vaping is currently the subject of a debate with certain clinicians suggesting vape sales should use a prescription-only model. Arno spoke to Associate Professor Kelly Burrowes from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute about the ongoing debate on whether or not vaping should be made prescription-only in Aotearoa.
This is a change that some countries, including Australia, have already made.
Arno started off by asking if the government was already planning to make vaping prescription-only.
The damage and silt buildup wrought by flooding across the country poses a unique danger to all types of animals.
Arno spoke to New Zealand Veterinary Association Head of Veterinary Services Sally Cory about the unique dangers for animals that have been playing outside and animals that have been relocated, and how to spot the signs of a sick pet.
He started off by asking which pets could be affected by flood damage.
For their weekly interview, News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about the Health NZ chair being sacked, the government's tourism workforce plans, and School Strike 4 Climate.
Drag Queens Erika and CoCo Flash from Rainbow Storytime NZ discuss the importance of drag storytime events in Aotearoa.
For Action Station, Producer Daniel Teunissen speaks to the Area Manager of the Citizens Advice Bureau Auckland City, Kate Anderson, about Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposal to cut its funding for the service.
Our Europe correspondent Cameron Adams reported on the 'Art is a Weapon' festival in Berlin.
And Daniel interviewed Paul Callister, from the Institute of Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, about why restoring long-distance passenger rail should be a part of Aotearoa's strategy to lower its climate emissions.
Māori face a unique set of challenges when it comes to relocating from flood-prone and damaged areas, particularly in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.
Arno spoke to Professor Janet Stephenson, Director of the Centre for Sustainability at the University of Auckland about this.
He started by asking what difficulties Mãori in particular face when confronted by the reality of managed retreat and planned relocation
The Wire was joined in the studio by Re:'s Callum Turnball to discuss thoughts from rangatahi on their political feelings ahead of the general election, which Re: was investigating during O-Week at the University of Auckland.
Spike speaks to Dr. Richard Arnold on the soon approaching 2023 census, the challenges facing it and what to learn from 2018's low census participation result.
Spike speaks to Dr. Tim Welch about Auckland Light Rail, the current downsides to the current planned approach for the project, and the benefits of surface light rail.
Simon speaks with Auckland University Professor Nathan Consedine who is hoping to use compassion as a KPI in the healthcare industry.
Yesterday University of Auckland staff went on strike for the 4th time in a year, fighting for better conditions and wages as workers, as the University continues to shut down negotiations. Spike spoke to various people at the march to get their perspective and what they're asking of university management.
Kia ora, and welcome to The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!
On today's show:
-
A special report covering yesterday's Auckland University staff strike and march through campus
-
Spike speaks to Dr. Tim Welch about the downsides of the Auckland Light Rail plan, and Dr. Richard Arnold about the 2023 census
-
Simon speaks to Shane Henderson for City Counselling about how communities out west are dealing with the aftermath of extreme weather and the upcoming Council budget, and Professor Nathan Consedine about using compassion as a KPI in the healthcare industry
Friday March 3rd marks World Hearing Day. An event which cannot be missed is the Listen Up Conference, where the CEO of Able, Dan Buckingham will be speaking about accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Today on The Wire, 95bFM's digital subeditor Stella Huggins speaks to communications intern at Able, Gabriella Evans, who is deaf and a caption-user, about her experience with accessing media, and the importance of the saying ‘nothing about us without us’, a mantra used to communicate the idea that no policy should be decided by any representative without the full and direct participation of members of the groups affected by that policy.
In the mid-20th century, hundreds of Banabans were displaced from Banaba Island to Fiji’s Rabi Island due to the devastating impacts of phosphate mining. Today, Banabans on Rabi continue to face discrimination as a partially self-governing entity falling between the cracks of Fiji and Kiribati. Their stories remain largely unheard in Aotearoa New Zealand, where the benefits of mining allowed the British to advance their colonisation and kickstart New Zealand’s agricultural sector.
95bFM digital subeditor Stella Huggins speaks to Katja Phutaraksa Neef, Erin and Banaban delegate Jack, about the forced displacement of the Banaban community and their ongoing human rights struggles, as well as their new art exhibition titled "Justice for Rabi: The Story of Banaba".
Tohorā (southern right whales) are travelling further north and south to forage for food across the Southern Ocean. Researchers say these changes have been occurring over the past 30 years, following a lengthy period of "remarkable consistency" in whale feeding ranges dating back to the 1700s.
Joe speaks to Emma Carroll from the University of Auckland on this matter.
Cyclone Gabrielle trail of destruction has presented a major political dilemma for the government, that being how will Aotearoa pay for the damage? Joe spoke to Jonathan Barrett, Associate Professor in Commercial Law and Taxation at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington on this matter.
Hydrocephalus is a disease with 100 New Zealand patients diagnosed every year. A recent funding injection of $6 million into the world’s first implantable long term brain pressure sensor promises relief for New Zealanders and also those across the globe.
Arno spoke with Professor Simon Malpas who is leading research at the Implantable Devices Group at the University of Auckland. Arno spoke with him to find out more about this research and what it means for New Zealanders as well as a global population. Arno started off by asking for an explanation of what hydrocephalus is.
Tāmaki Makaurau's major Wayne Brown has proposed cutting two thirds of funding for environmental programmes across the city. This includes funding for stormwater and water quality upgrades, as well as environmental work.
Auckland Central's Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick has launched a petition against Wayne Brown's budget proposal. Beth spoke with her about this, as well as what climate action looks like.
In times of crisis, arts, culture and creative experiences play an essential role.
According to James Wenley, Lecturer at the Theatre Programme at Victoria University of Wellington, the arts and culture in NZ are in their own cycle of crisis. Why are we in this cycle? And how do we break out of it?
Joe speaks to Dr Marilyn Giroux, senior marketing lecturer of Business and Economics at the University of Auckland about Sportswashing and its relation to the FIFA Women's World Cup.
Joe looks into why we chase wellbeing and how it may be unhealthy for us. He speaks to Steven Jackson, Professor of Sport Policy and Politics at the University of Otago on the matter. Joe also looks into sportswashing in relation to the Womens FIFA World Cup, he speaks to Dr Marilyn Giroux, senior marketing lecturer in Business and Economics at the University of Auckland on the matter.
Daniel brings us City Counselling with Mike Lee, they speak about inner west cycle lanes and street improvements. He also speaks to Philosophy Professor Robert Sparrow from Monash University about the ethics of our relationship with robots.
A question that sparks curiousity and contradiction is, are we in the midst of a wellbeing pandemic? The question may seem curious, even contradictory. Researchers say that if we look around us, the concept is everywhere and spreading in the media, in government institutions and transnational organisations, in schools, in workplaces, and in the marketplace
Joe spoke to Steven Jackson, Professor of Sport Policy and Politics at the University of Otago to get some insight on this matter.
E Whai Ake Nei, coming up on The Wire...
Tuva’a spoke with defence minister Andrew Little for 2023, where they talked about the continued impact of the cyclone and the government's response
Liam had a chat with Catherine Healey from the New Zealand Sex Workers Collective and Jan Logie from the Green Party of Aotearoa about the recent Calendar Girls rights protests in Poneke.
They also spoke to UoA professor Robert MacCulloch about the Official Cash Rate Hike,
Hanna spoke to Dr Kevin Trenberth about the government's plan to tax methane emissions
And lastly Liam spoke to Cameron Adams for Eurovision, nearly one year on from the day Russia's invasion of Ukraine began.
Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr announced yet another official cash rate hike yesterday, by fifty basis points to four point seven five percent.
The reserve bank claims they aren’t yet sure what the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle will be on the wider economy, continuing to predict the OCR will peak at five point five percent.
The aim to control inflation will likely see borrowers suffer, as discussed by UoA Economics Professor Robert MacCulloch.
Dancers at the Calender Girls Club in Pōneke Wellington protested their unjust firing in the capital last week.
After a 2023 contract change, a joint letter saw a group of the workers call for better rights and pay as independent contractors, allowing them to receive clear income records and 60%
This led to them being fired via a facebook post, invigorating conversations about sex worker rights in Aotearoa over all.
Fired Up Stilettos, the group behind the protest, provided 95bFM with the following statement:
“We want industry wide changes for all dancers across New Zealand. We want all adult entertainment venues to be compelled to cease all practices which violate our independent contractor status. Remove all fines and bonds from our contracts.
We also require a limit on what these venues can take from our earnings as contractors. We believe that progress in our industry for workers rights is lagging behind severely because of the structural, social, and political stigma that has been attached to our occupation in the past.
Club owners in New Zealand use this stigma to their advantage, and are able to exploit our workers because we have not had any support. We need public and political support to be able to stop this from happening. Getting fired for standing up for yourself or your rights is systemic to our industry. Our mission is to end this cycle of rights violations, coercion and exploitation. It has to end.”
To learn more about the wider issues of sex worker rights in New Zealand, Liam spoke to Catherine Healey from the New Zealand Sex Workers Collective.
Present at the protests was Greens spokesperson for women and list MP, Jan Logie.
Logie will be speaking to fired up stilettos next month, discussing their demands and how they want to be supported politically.
Liam also spoke to Logie about the protests.
150 countries recently signed the Global Methane Pledge, promising the most effective course for reducing emissions and keepimg warming below 1.5°C. However, experts are calling this claim into question. This is particularly so in Aotearoa, whose largely agricultural methane emissions differ from that of other countries.
Hanna spoke to Dr Kevin Trenberth, Distinguished Scholar at Colorado's National Centre for Atmospheric Research and Honorary Affiliate at the University of Auckland. They talked about why biogenic methane cannot be treated like fossil methane, nor methane like carbon dioxide, and whether current climate policy is up to scratch.
The impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle have continued to be a major priority for the New Zealand Government, as they are likely to continue to be for the foreseeable future.
Recent photographs and examinations have revealed just how bad the extent of the damage has been, with areas in the west coast of Auckland and east coast of the North Island drastically affected.
The government's plan is slowly being solidified and outlined, as discussed by defence minister Andrew Little in his chat with Tuva’a Clifton this morning.
On The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday, News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Sophora from Fridays for Future Tāmaki Makaurau about a youth-led global climate strike happening on 3 March.
For their regular catch up, the ACT Party’s Karen Chhour discusses the government’s initial cyclone emergency support and calls to make gender-affirming healthcare more accessible for Irawhiti and transgender people.
And Producer Troy Matich interviews Maggie Shui, and Eleanor about the new Re: docuseries, Dating While Asian.
Casper had a chat with Gary Taylor, CEO of the Environmental Defence Society on the topic of managed retreat.
Managed retreat is a phrase that’ll come up a lot as National and Labour work on bipartisan legislation that will create the foundations of a multi-government strategy.
Forestry slash has been blamed for a lot of the damage caused by the cyclone and Milly spoke with Tairāwhiti farmer and national board member for Federated Farmers, Toby Williams, about the issue.
The devastating impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle have compounded discussions that were already underway after the intense flooding in Auckland two weeks earlier.
One topic on the minds of many is infrastructure. Casper had a chat about this with National’s Shane Reti – why it failed so bady, what do we need to do to fix it and whether it's time for New Zealand to change our approach to building for extreme weather.
This week, on Casper's final Tuesday Wire show, Joel Rindelaub chatted about animals that do drugs for Dear Science. Casper talked to National’s Shane Reti about infrastructure resilience and Gary Taylor from the Environmental Defence Society about managed retreat.
Milly spoke with Toby Williams from the Federated Farmers regarding the issue of forestry slash. She also talked to Tony Mitchell from Bike Auckland about Auckland cycleway plans.
Auckland Transport has come under fire for pausing the works on cycleway work in Auckland. Due to local government and mayoral changes, many cyclists have been left with disconnected routes, with approved plans that have been left on pause.
Milly had a chat with Tony Mitchell from Bike Auckland about the issue.
Spike speaks to Dr. Tim Welch from the University of Auckland about the benefits of burying power lines.
Several important conferences concerning trade deals between New Zealand and other countries, particularly Australia, are coming up this month and in July. Economic trade agreements are to be discussed and debated, and this is of major importance to New Zealand, a country that relies both on import and export to have a functioning economy.
Arno spoke to Professor Jennifer Curtin, director of the Public Policy Institute at the University of Auckland, to find out more about trade agreements. Arno started by asking what outcomes or information Professor Curtin hoped to see from the upcoming Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School event.
Welcome to The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Today we speak to:
-
Professor Jennifer Curtin about New Zealand's upcoming trade agreement conferences
-
Tamaki Makaurau Te Pati Maori candidate Takutai Kemp on her recent campaign announcement and community mahi
-
Dr. Carisa Showden on her new New Zealand youth activism book "Fierce Hope"
- Dr. Tim Welch on the benefits of burying power lines
And this week on OurActionStation we talk to:
- Loretta Bush about her petition to reinstate Creative NZ funding for Arts on Tour
This week on ActionStation, Spike speaks to Loretta Bush about her petition calling for Creative NZ to restore their Arts on Tour funding.
https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/immediate-reinstatement-of-arts-on-tour-funding
Doctor Carisa Showden, of University of Auckland’s sociology department, is the editor of a new book on youth activism entitled Fierce Hope. The book has six segments from various youth-led activism organisations ranging in topic from climate change to indigenous rights. In the book young leaders of activism groups, loosely identified as those 18-29, are given the space to write about their journeys in the world of activism.
Arno started by asking for an overview of the topics contained within the book.
Joe, along with Intersex Aotearoa, reports from Auckland Pride 2023 and asks what pride means to people.
This week on The Wire for Rāmere Friday!
Joe looks at the Muriwai landslide following Cyclone Gabrielle and how the landscape that the houses were built on was eroded by a landslide in 1965. He spoke to Associate Professor Martin Brook, from the University of Auckland on this matter. Joe also speaks to Claire Breen, a Professor of Law at the University of Waikato about the latest report into the rights of children in Aotearoa from the UN.
Daniel dives into the psychology and history of social panics about UFO’s with Robert Bartholomew. He also speaks to Anthony Milligan from King's College in London about love and soulmates.
Joe speaks to Rebecca Dunlop from the University of Queensland about Humpback Whales switching from singing to fighting to win over the ladies.
That's us for the Friday Wire!
Last Tuesday we celebrated romantic love. But what is romantic love actually? Daniel spoke with Anthony Milligan from Kings College London about one image of romantic love: The idea of finding a soulmate.
Robert Bartholomew is a sociologist specialised in social panics. He predicted already after the first shooting down of a ‘chinese spy balloon’ there would be a wave of UFO sightings in the US. Daniel spoke with him about the history and psychology of such UFO scares and outbreaks of UFO sightings.
E whai ake nei, on the Thursday Wire today...
Liam had bFM’s first chat with defence minister Andrew Little for 2023, where they talked about his first couple weeks in the role and the extreme weather events in Te Ika-Ā-Maui, the North Island.
Continuing on with the cyclone reporting, Liam spoke to Daithi Stone from NIWA about the links between Cyclone Gabrielle and the climate crisis.
We also have bFM European Correspondent Cameron Adams back on for EuroVision, chatting about the war in Ukraine, Scotland first minister NIcola Sturgeon's resignation, and more.
Liam also spoke to Sophie Lund Ramussen, an Oxford University researcher at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit in Denmark. We had a chat about her discovery of the world's oldest hedgehog named Thorvald, and what it means for species conservation.
And producer Hanna Thompson spoke to Professor Euan Mason from the NZ school of forestry at the University of Canterbury about erosion in the cyclones.
This week on The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Auckland University Student's Association President Alan Shaker in the studio for their monthly catch-up.
For their weekly interview, ACT Party MP Karen Chhour talks about the government's minimum wage increase and Chris Hipkins' recent policy purge, which included halting an amendment to protect religious groups from incitement of hatred.
And independent researcher Byron Clark talks about his new book FEAR: New Zealand's Hostile Underworld of Extremists, which has come out today, and why we should be watchful and fearful of the far-right's potential impact on politics.
On The Green Desk, Producer Troy Matich interviews Professor John Hopkins from the University of Canterbury about what a national state of emergency means for Aotearoa.
Since the Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019, the pandemic and the conspiracy theories and anti-government sentiment that developed in response, there has been increased scrutiny and media coverage of far-right groups in Aotearoa.
In his new book, FEAR: New Zealand's Hostile Underworld of Extremists, Independent researcher Byron Clark helps make sense of alt-right influence in Aotearoa, identifies the main perpetrators and looks at why we are susceptible to misinformation, conspiracy theories, and fear-mongering.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Clark about why we should be watchful and fearful of the alt-rights growing influence.
Here is that interview…
For their first catch-up this year, News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) President Alan Shaker about the support available for students affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, their safe zones initiative in collaboration with the Auckland Council, aggressive religious recruitment on campus, and orientation week plans.
For this week's Tuesday Wire, Allan Blackman joined Casper and Milly over the phone for Dear Science. Casper spoke to National’s Shane Reti about the government’s policy reshuffle announced this week and Dáithí Stone, climate scientist at NIWA about what’s driving Cyclone Gabrielle.
Milly speaks to Assad Shamseldin from the University of Auckland about improving our stormwater infrastructure. And Milly also spoke to epidemiologist Michael Baker about the new measles case identified in New Zealand.
To get a sense of what’s driving the devastating Cyclone Gabrielle and what makes in an unprecedented weather event, Casper talked to Dr Dáithí Stone, climate scientist at NIWA.
Earlier this week the government announced a major policy overhaul, they called it a reshuffle, which included dropping some of the less popular or seemingly viable intitaitives like the TVNZ/RNZ merger to focus more on ‘bread and butter’ issues.
Also announced was a $1.50 hike to the minimum wage, a delay to the income insurance scheme and hate speech reform, the scrapping of the biofuel mandate, and ambiguous future changes to three waters.
Casper had a chat with National MP Dr Shane Reti about the announcement and how it’s been received by National.
Cabinet, as part of its policy reset on Wednesday, announced minimum wage would be rising $1.50, up to $22.70 an hour to match inflation. Many are welcoming the increase, but Unite Union says it’s not enough for workers to just match inflation. Spike speaks to the National Secretary, John Crocker, about this latest rise.
On 8 February Chris Hipkins announced work on the TVNZ-RNZ public media entity "will stop entirely". This comes several years after the bill was first tabled by former broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi as a way to address declining audience numbers. Arno speaks to Dr Gavin Ellis, affiliate of think tank Koi Tū, “the centre for informed futures”. He started by asking what the difference between public and private broadcasters meant for the public.
On The Wire for Rāhina Monday:
-
Spike speaks to Unite Union National Secretary John Crocker about the latest minimum wage rise
-
Arno speaks to Dr. Gavin Ellis from Koi Tu about the TVNZ-RNZ merger
-
Arno speaks to Peter Reynolds from the New Zealand Disability Support Network about a lack of government funding for support workers
-
And on Tomorrow's World today, Stella and Isla speak to Professor Pauline Norris about new research that shows removing the $5 cost of prescriptions reduces hospital admissions and time spent in hospital
Arno speaks to Peter Reynolds, CEO of the New Zealand Disability Support Network - a society of organisations that provide support to disabled people. The industry of disability service providers is an entirely government-funded collection of entities that provide free-of-charge services to those in need. Recent increases in costs of providing services have made it difficult for these organisations to provide the same level of care for a given budget.
On The Wire for this Rāmere Friday!
David brings us City Counselling with Mike Lee about flood recovery and preparing for Cyclone Gabrielle. He also speaks to Oxfam and partners mounting response in Turkiye, and Syria amidst destruction of life and property due to the earthquake.
Joe speaks to Eileen Joy from the School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work at the University of Auckland about recent child development theories having influenced child protection in Aotearoa in ways that have further stigmatised struggling families.
Daniel chats with Jake Parsons about the work the Student Volunteer Army is doing related to the Auckland floods. He also spoke to Andrew Waa, a Public Health researcher at the University of Otago about Smokefree 2025, vapes and inequities.
That's us for this weeks Friday Wire!
Joe speaks to Eileen Joy, from the School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work at the University of Auckland. They chat about recent child development theories having influenced child protection in Aotearoa in ways that have further stigmatised struggling families.
A devastating earthquake in Southern Turkey and Northern Syria earlier this week has left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.
The death toll passed 20 thousand this morning, and is expected to rise even further.
Search and rescue efforts and relief organisations from around the world are pouring into the country to look for survivors, and help displaced peoples.
David spoke to Carlos Calderon from Oxfam Aotearoa about the situation on the ground and what New Zealanders can do to help.
To donate to relief efforts in the region, head to:
www.oxfam.org.nz
www.redcross.org.nz
www.unicef.org.nz
The Student Volunteer Army is doing a wonderful job. Last weekend Around 200 volunteers supported door-knocking at 1200 homes.
SVA CEO Jana Hood said: “The smell of rotting food and rotten carpets in some houses was just horrendous, but they don’t want to leave their homes and their communities,”
Daniel spoke with Auckland Club President of the SVA, Jake Parsons about what their experiences are and what the progress of their work is.
Already in october 2010 Maori health organisations raised concerns about the shocking toll tobacco use has in their communities. They found that overall people were smoking less, but more and more maori and pacific people were smoking.
As response the NZ government developed the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan. The plan features three radical interventions. One, called the smoke-free generation strategy, will make it illegal to ever sell combustible tobacco products to those born in 2009 or later. The goal is to create an ever-growing generation that never picks up the smoking habit. Together with two other policies, reducing nicotine content in tobacco to below addictive levels and less retail outlets selling tobacco, tobacco use would virtually end.
There are two issues: Vapes and Inequities. Daily smoking rates are in general at an all-time low but remain high for Māori. 34% of Māori teens aged 14 and 15-year vape regularly and The statistics are even higher for Māori girls of this age, with 40% vaping regularly.
Daniel spoke with associate professor Andrew Waa, Public Health researcher at the University of Otagoa, bout these issues.
Almost the end of the week, whānau! A lovely show for you this morning. Rachel speaks to Jennifer Curtin on Political Commentary, debriefing Cabinet's re-prioritisations. Delaney Mes tells us all about fish on Breakfast Food, and Rachel talks to Lucky Boy and Crystal from Phoebe Rings about their recent collaborative track. Whakarongo mai nei!
In the lead up to the 2023 General Election, The Wire will be speaking to ACT Party MP Karen Chhour about the political hot potatoes of today and tomorrow.
For their first interview, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins asked Chhour about why she got into politics and ACT’s thoughts on the inquiry into the Auckland floods.
Our weekly catch up with the ACT Party returns for 2023. This year, we’ll be hearing from ACT Party MP Karen Chhour.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speak to Jelly O’Shea from Intersex Aotearoa about their collaboration with Auckland Pride this year.
And Liam Hansen interviews Iokapeta Magele-Suamasi about The Ōyster in Ōtara, a newly revamped art exhibition space in the town centre.
On Saturday February 18th, Auckland Pride will be marching in solidarity with our intersex community.
This year, the festival is encouraging the rainbow community and its allies to elevate important issues for our Intersex community in our fight for progress and educate ourselves in variations of sex characteristics.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Jelly O’Shea from Intersex Aotearoa, an organisation that looks to affirm and advocate on behalf of people born with variations of sex characteristics, otherwise known as intersex, about this kaupapa.
We started off our interview discussing why it is important to hold space for the Intersex community during pride
With the election coming up this year we’re starting to see the formation of concrete policy platforms with one major topic this election being the cost of living.
Prime Minister Hipkins calls their approach a focus on ‘bread and butter issues’ whereas National has come out with a 5-point plan to ‘get inflation under control’.
Casper discussed this plan with National's Shane Reti, beginning by asking him to explain the first point, a proposal to end the reserve bank’s dual mandate.
With Germany and the US agreeing to send main battle tanks to Ukraine, attention is being brought to the major foreign policy approaches that ideologicaly inform such decisions.
To get a sense of two dominant international relations theories in play in these decisions I spoke to Robert Patman, professor of international relations at the University of Otago.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly speaks to Dr Jan Eldridge from the University of Auckland about a unique binary star system created by a weak supernova. She talks with Jan about what this binary star system means and what makes it so special.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly speaks to Elizabeth Kerekere from the Green Party about perpetual land leases, an outdated law that has some big consequences for Maori land owners.
David brings us City Counselling with Shane Henderson as they talk about clean up efforts in West Auckland after last week’s floods.
Joe looks into Acute Mental Health units remaining in the shadows, he speaks to Associate Professor Ruth Cunningham from the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington on the matter. Joe also looks into mammogram coverage targets missing for the third year in a row, he speaks to Adele Gautier, Research manager at The Breast Cancer Foundation on this issue.
Joe also speaks to Alexandra Xanthaki a UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights and Professor of Laws at Brunel University London, United Kingdom, about the commending of the IOC for considering admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutral contestants.
Daniel looks into ChatGPT and how AI impacts humanity, he speaks to Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts in Boston on the topic. He also speaks to Kyle Lewis, founder and researcher at Think Tank Autonomy about a 4 day work week.
That's us for the Friday Wire!
E whai akei nei, coming up on the Thursday Wire…
Liam has a package re-evaluating the Three Waters Reform in the wake of the Auckland flooding. They’ve spoken to the University of Auckland's Dr Timothy Welch about stormwater infrastructure, E Tū Union director Mat Danaher about why they support Three Waters and ACT Party local government and infrastructure spokesperson Simon Court about why they continue to oppose it.
Hanna spoke to Professor Robert MaCulloch about Aotearoa's unemployment rates.
And Liam had a chat with bFM European Correspondent Cameron Adams about what's been going on in Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and the UK!
More than 200 homes have been red-stickered, and at least 5000 have been damaged after the devastating deluge across Tāmaki Makaurau and the upper North Island.
Experts are warning that health hazards such as mould and contamination could be waiting for residents returning to their flood damaged homes.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Senior Lecturer at the Massey University School of Built Environment, Dr Mikael Boulic, who says Auckland’s current conditions are the “worst case scenario” for mould to grow.
We started off our interview discussing what steps people should take when cleaning up their wet property.
The Auckland floods have been devastating for many, but will this extreme weather become our new normal?
Today Troy Matich spoke with Victoria University Professor James Renwick about how the future of climate change could bring more extreme weather, and disaster.
This week on the Tuesday Wire Milly speaks to Phillip Duncan from WeatherWatch about the meteorological conditions that created this weekends wild weather. Additionally, Milly asks about how to better manage and predict weather extremes as they become more common due to climate change.
Western nations have begun to donate battlefield tanks to the Ukrainian army in their war against Russia.
The US has announced it will send M1 Abrams, Germany will send Leopard 2 and the UK Challenger 2 tanks.
Experts anticipate this will give Ukraine an offensive boost in offensive moves.
David spoke to University of Waikato Professor Alexander Gillespie about the subject.
This week on The Wire for Rāmere Friday!
David brings us City Counselling with Mike Lee as they talk about Auckland Transport problems, and trying to create a marine reserve on Waiheke Island. He also spoke to Alexander Gillespie about Western nations donating tanks to the Ukrainian war effort, as well as Richard Easther from the University of Auckland about light pollution.
Joe looks at the New Zealand Government failing to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility. He speaks to Lisa Woods, the Campaigns Director for Amnesty International Aotearoa.
Daniel speaks to Shark Researcher Dr Samantha Sherman, a post-doctoral research fellow at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver about sharks that depend on coral reefs being driven to extinction. Daniel also chats with Chris Button about how we can improve water safety.
That's us for the Friday Wire!
E whai akei nei, on the Thursday Wire today:
Liam spoke to Robert MacCulloch from the University of Auckland about the recent reports on Aotearoa’s stagnant inflation.
They also had a chat with Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington's Dr Mona Jeffreys about long covid and reports on how the pandemic has been managed over the past few years.
We also heard from Troy Merry from UoA about a possible new life extending drug.
And lastly Liam spoke with Nicola Roos from UoO and the DOC about a research project utilising citizen science to track Kekeno AKA NZ fur seals.
The phased out ban on battery caged eggs came to it's final stage as New Zealand entered 2023, meaning these cages are now one hundred percent illegal.
Since the ban eggs have been in short supply around the country, and the few cartons available have risen in price by 16% since November 2022.
Today Troy Matich spoke with Head of Campaigns for SAFE For Animals Jess Chambers about the realities of battery caged egg farming, the still legal colony cage farming, and why the egg industry is unethical.
Late last year, AUT announced 230 redundancies among a number of other cost-cutting measures, despite making a $12 million surplus in 2020 and 2021.
The Employment Court has now ruled in favour of the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) in their legal action against AUT.
AUT has been fined for breaching their collective agreement with staff, and will have to restart their redundancy process.
So what does this mean now for affected staff? News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to TEU Organiser Jill Jones.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins, and producer Troy Matich, bring you The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday.
Jessica speaks to Associate Professor of Māori and Pacific Studies Jemaima Tiatia and the Associate Dean Pacific of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Sir Collin Tukuitonga, about Carmel Sepuloni becoming Aotearoa’s first Pasifika deputy prime minister.
She talks to Tertiary Education Union Organiser Jill Jones about the union's legal action against redundancies at the Auckland University of Technology.
She also asks Academic GP Nikki Turner about Jacinda Ardern’s legacy on child poverty.
Troy interviews SAFE For Animals Head of Campaigns, Jess Chambers, about why battery-caged eggs were banned.
Milly Spoke to Chris Pooks regarding some exciting research into the compounds found in the Kawakawa plant. Many of the compounds have huge medicinal benefits, and Chris talks about a project to create a functional drink from this miraculous plant.
Following the resignation of Jacinda Ardern there’s been a great deal of discussion around the vitriol and personal attacks that targeted her online.
One study conducted by University of Auckland researchers found Ardern was the target of 93 percent of toxic posts against seven high profile politicians and officials.
For Casper's weekly chat with National’s Shane Reti, they discussed the level of polarisation and hateful messaging in New Zealand’s political climate.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Joel Rindelaub joined Casper and Milly over the phone for Dear Science.
Casper spoke to National's Shane Reti about political polarisation as well as Geoffrey Miller from the Democracy Project about Jacinda Ardern's foreign policy legacy.
And Milly talked to Lachie Scarsbrook about the discovery of a new ancient gecko and UoA's Chris Pook about new Kawakawa research and usage.
With one of the most internationally famous NZ Prime Ministers leaving office, many are discussing her legacy - particular her legacy overseas.
Geoffrey Miller, international analyst for the Democracy Project, wrote about Jacinda Ardern’s outsized foreign policy legacy, and chatted about this with Casper.
Lachie Scarsbrook talks to Milly on the Tuesday Wire about some exciting new research in the fossil field. Studies so far have revealed an ancient Gecko, being one of the largest in New Zealand. Working alongside Iwi and Hapu Maori, scientists are working thier way through the fossils of New Zealand, using unique DNA techniques.
Jacinda Ardern exemplified strong leadership during the early days of the Covid pandemic. She made several tough calls and helped to bring New Zealand to a low mortality rate.
Arno spoke to Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences professor Chris Bullen, who explained the actions Ardern took and their consequences for New Zealand.
Arno started off by asking how Ardern accomplished a lower death toll than other contemporary countries for New Zealand.
Welcome to The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Spike speaks to:
-
Political commentator Russell Brown about Chris Hipkins' ascension to PM and what his leadership could mean for the Labour party
-
Casey Spearin from KnowYourStuff about recent drug checking service government funding, and the summer festival season
Arno speaks to:
-
Professor Robert MacCulloch on the economic impacts of Ardern's resignation
-
Professor Chris Bullen on Ardern's leadership during the pandemic
And on Tomorrow's World:
- Stella speaks to Miriam from the EPA about a new fungi recently cleared for cultivation in New Zealand
Spike speaks to political commentator Russell Brown about Chris Hipkins' ascension to PM, and what his leadership could mean for the Labour party.
Spike speaks to Casey Spearin from KnowYourStuff about recent drug checking service government funding, and the summer festival season.
Today on Tomorrow's World, Stella speaks to Miriam from the EPA about a new fungi known as "the fungi of immortality" recently cleared for cultivation in New Zealand.
Jacinda Ardern's resignation understandably would be thought to have some impacts on New Zealand's economy. Arno spoke to Professor Robert MacCulloch from the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Auckland to find the extent of these impacts and how the New Zealand economy might be affected under the new leadership of Chris Hipkins.
Arno started off the interview by asking how Ardern's resignation would affect international trade relations.
Daniel spoke with Margaret Stanley, Professor of Ecology at the University of Auckland. She explains the impact humans have on the native birds of NZ and the gives some tips how to help the native birds. We need more messy gardens.
Daniel spoke with Neal Curtis, professor in media and screen studies at the University of Auckland about trolls, online hate, misogyny, the rise of extreme right ideologies and its impact on the Prime Minister.
The New Zealand Drug Foundation has reported on a new strain of LSD that is circulating around the country, particularly within music festivals.
The drug, named 25B-NBOH, can form side effects not usually present in normal LSD, despite looking identical.
Drug checking services at new years festival Rhythm and Vines found examples in the drug amongst roughly 750 other drugs checked.
To learn more about the drug, what the signs of it are, and how users could avoid them, Liam had a chat with the New Zealand Drug Foundations executive director Sarah Helm.
New research from Curtin University over in Perth has recently been released, taking a look at the heat regulation that takes place in west Australian echidnas.
Doctor Christine Cooper and her team utilised thermal vision to discover how echidnas deal with the strong heat present in the region.
Their methods are very unique, often utilising the complex tasks of blowing snot bubbles and doing belly flops to keep cool.
It’s currently uncertain whether or not these methods would work for humans.
Liam had a chat with Dr Cooper to learn more about her research and echidnas in general.
It’s been about a month's break since I last spoke to bFM European Correspondent Cameron Adams for Eurovision, but the regions war due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine has not slowed down.
Nations have continued to support the latter country, and Bulgaria has been revealed to have been supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the war despite attempting to keep it under wraps.
Additionally, climate protests have taken place in Germany, and abortion laws have been debated in Spain.
On the first Thursday Wire of 2023:
Liam spoke to Lisa Williams from Pharmac about the liquid ibuprofen shortage.
They also had a chat with Sarah Helm from the NZ Drug Foundation about a dangerous altered form of acid that’s currently circulating in Aotearoa.
Professor Jan Eldridge was chatting about her research into binary neutron star mergers.
Christine Cooper from Curtin University will be chatting about how echidnas do belly flops to keep warm.
And lastly Liam talked to Cameron Adams for our first Eurovision of 2023!
On The Wire with Jessica, the Scottish Green's equalities and human rights issues spokesperson, Maggie Chapman, and Research Associate at the University of Auckland Public Policy Institute, Dr Sarah Bickerton, discuss the UK government blocking a Scottish gender recognition bill.
Marilyn Garson Co-founder of Alternative Jewish Voices and Kate Stone, a Co-covenor of the coordinting group for Justice For Palestine speak on the extent to which activists for Palestinian rights are being falsely accused of antisemitism to silence their voices.
And SAFE For Animals CEO Debra Ashton shares their calls to end Rodeo in Aotearoa.
The UK government has voted in favour to block a Scottish gender recognition bill from going to royal assent, that makes it easier for people to change their legally recognised gender.
The passing of this bill made Scotland the first nation in the UK to back a self-identification process for legally changing gender. But the UK government has used a Section 35 order, a provision which can block Scottish laws for the first time ever, to thwart Scotland's efforts to expand transgender rights.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, interviewed the Scottish Green's equalities and human rights issues spokesperson, Maggie Chapman, who is the Vice Convener of the Equalities, Humans Rights, and Civil Justice committee that took the gender recognition reform legisation through Scottish parliament last year.
She also spoke to Research Associate at the University of Auckland Public Policy Institute, Dr Sarah Bickerton about harmful rhetoric surrounding transgender and other minority rights in the UK, and the potential implications of blocking this legislation on Scottish democracy.
Casper spoke with Jason Myers from Oxfam regarding a recent report commenting on the richest 1% of the world's population, that hold almost twice as much money as the bottom 99% of the population.
Milly spoke with Henry Hansen the CEO of Wisewool a company spearheading a project to boost the New Zealand wool industry. They discuss the $790,000 granted towards the project from the Ministry for Primary Industries and the possibilities when it comes to the use of strong wool.
Lake Snow is a phenomena that is being seen in our alpine lakes across Aotearoa. Milly spoke to Sandra Wotherspoon from the Department of Conservation about what Lake Snow is and how to prevent the spread of this to our Tapu lakes in the alpines.
Today on the Tuesday Wire, Casper and Milly speak to Allan Blackman for Dear Science. Casper also spoke to Jason Myers from Oxfam regarding thier report released on billionaires. Milly speaks to Sandra Wotherspoon from the Department of Conservation regarding "Lake Snow", as well as Henry Hansen from Wisewool regading a new initiative to regenerate the NZ wool industry.
The cost of living crisis has been plaguing a post-Covid New Zealand for years now, with a record 11% increase in grocery supplier costs last year. In addition the New Zealand dollar is not doing well internationally.
Arno spoke with economist Shamubeel Eaqub to find out more about this crisis. He started off by asking how increased costs further up in the supply chain would affect everyday grocery prices. Also covered were tips for Kiwis going forward.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday:
Arno speaks to journalist Rod Oram about the current state of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Spike speaks to Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster about the rise of data breaches affecting New Zealand organisations and companies in 2022, along with an increase in malicious attacks.
Arno also speaks to Shamubeel Yakub about the continuing cost of living crisis, its causes, and how it might affect us into the future.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been going on a lot longer than most expected. This war has been marked by innovative technology and a far stronger resistance to the invasion than previously imagined. Arno spoke to journalist of economics and politics Rod Oram to get an update on the latest occurrences in the conflict.
Arno started off by asking about the casualties on both sides, to find out who currently has the upper hand in this conflict.
Spike speaks to Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster about the increase of data breaches in New Zealand over 2022.
Mayor Brown' draft for the annual 2023/24 budget includes drastic cuts for the arts. The plan is to stop regional grants for arts, events, community recreation and heritage. 8 million in total. And the removal of 20 million from community and social development programmes, which includes art events, education programmes and community programmes.
Daniel spoke with Lauren Whitney general manager of New Zealand comedy trust, an organisation that produces the New Zealand international comedy festival and supports the comedy industry.
Daniel also spoke with Mark Harvey who is part of Arts Makers Aotearoa, which was formed by a group of arts makers who are concerned about the lack of support for the arts in this country and he is also part the creative arts industries faculty at the university of auckland
Lastly Daniel spoke with Cat Ruka the executive director of Basement Theater.
We spoke about the impact of these plans on the city of auckland and the consequences these plans will have for individual and community wellbeing and mental health. And what is exactly the intrinsic value of art?
This week on The Wire for Rāmere Friday!
David brings us City Counselling, our regular segment with Auckland Councillor with Mike Lee. This week they discussed the Auckland Council’s draft proposal for the 2023/2024 budget.
Daniel looks at cuts in Art Funding but with a focus on the comedy and theatre community. He spoke to Lauren Whitney, the General Manager of the New Zealand Comedy Trust, Mark Harvey who is part of Arts Makers Aotearoa and Cat Ruka, the Executive Director of Basement Theater
We bring you The Best of The Wire from 2022 as well, where we recap the year that was in news and current affairs. We revisit our interviews with Dr Nic Rawlence, from the paelogenetics lab at the University of Otago, about all the fossil related chats we’ve had throughout the duration of this year.
David speaks to Professor Corinne Seals, an Applied Linguistics Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, about the Ukrainian language and culture seeing a renaissance in the face of Russian aggression.
And our youngest reporter, Iris Butler, interviews the Hamilton City Council about Lime scooters in the Waikato River.
That's us for the last Friday Wire of 2022!
95bFM's youngest reporter, Iris Butler, interviews the Kelvin Powell of the Hamilton City Council about Lime scooters in the Waikato River.
It's the best of The Wire! We have a few new pieces, and take a look back at some of our favourites from 2022.
We take a look back at Tuva’as live and in person chat with Health Minister Andrew Little from June of this year,
I’ll also be replaying my chat with Taylor McGregor from Save our Venues about the importance of small music videos and the struggles this year has seen them put through,
Hanna is speaking to 0800 What’s Up about mental health support during the holiday season,
We also have a Tomorrow's World about Blood Transfusion,
And lastly I’ll be talking to Cameron Adams for our last Eurovision of 2022!
For their final interview this year, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT's Brooke Van velden about the Government's expansion to the immigration fast track list. They also discussed Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenksy addressing Aotearoa’s parliament and what we can expect from the ACT Party next year.
Then she spoke to Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker about how people can minimise the risk of catching and spreading Covid-19 this summer.
And for our Best of the Wire special, we recapped the year that was in news and current affairs. This year, Emilia Sullivan spoke to Geoff McLay from Victoria University Law School about the Supreme Court hearing arguments in a case against Aotearoa’s seven largest polluting companies. On Eurovision, our Europe Correspondent, Cameron Adams, spoke to Emillia about Russia’s mobilisation and so-called annexation referendums in Ukraine. And on The Green Desk, Frances spoke to Gabrielle Feather, a PhD student at the University of Tasmania about the changing climate and its connection to mental health.
The holiday season is approaching us, but one thing that’s not on anyone's Christmas wish list is Covid-19.
Health officials have warned that over the summer, Covid-19 case numbers could peak at more than 11,000 a day with a hundred hospitalisations each day.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker about how people can minimise the risk of catching and spreading Covid-19 this summer.
She started off their interview by asking what is expected to cause this influx in case numbers?
For Tomorrow's World, Stella Huggins speaks to Professor in Critical Health Psychology at Massey University, Sarah Riley about Menstruation Tracking Apps.
And the Wire team brings you the best of the Monday Wire, recapping the year that was in news and current affairs.
This year, Stella Huggins spoke to former Auckland Deputy Mayor, Penny Hulse about an ongoing review on the future of local government.
We revisit Aotearoa becoming the first country in the world to have explicitly legalised drug checking. Spike Keith spoke to Know Your Stuff’s Brin Ryder about drug testing services at summer festivals.
Spike also interviewed the NZ Drug Foundation’s Sarah Helm about their findings that overdose deaths in the past five years have increased by 50%.
And finally, we look back at Stella's interview with Chris Wislon, a Senior Lecturer of Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland, about his report on his colleague James Halpin, infiltrating Action Zelandia, a far-right extremist group in Aotearoa.
On The Wire this week for Rāmere Friday!
Joe speaks to Fiona Tolich, long-term campaigner and advocate for SMA, about Pharmacs funding of SPINRAZA, a first-of-its-kind medicine for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the number one cause of genetic death in Kiwi children under two.
Daniel speaks to Merewalesi Yee, who is a PhD student at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia about her project that seeks to advance the understanding of human migration in Fiji caused by climate change. He also speaks to Leba Gaunavinaka who is a climate change adaptation specialist at the Fijian Ministry of Climate Change about relocating Fijian communities whose land is inhabitable due to climate change.
David chats to Shane Henderson for our regular segment, City Counselling. They look at Auckland Council Group’s Annual Budget 2023/2024. David also speaks to Lachlan Keating from Deaf Aotearoa about creating NZ Sign Language videos for the 2023 census.
That's us for the Friday Wire!
Amnesty International is soon launching their Write for Rights campaign.
The advocacy group is calling on people from around the world to take part in the campaign aiming to free various people wrongly imprisoned.
This includes writing letters, social media posts, and signing petitions.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Shaun Greaves, the executive director of Amnesty Aotearoa, about the campaign at home and around the globe.
The COP15 Biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada is set to begin today.
The conference of parties is set to specifically target issues of biodiversity and how it links to improving our climate.
The conference was initially meant to take place in China a couple years ago, but was delayed and eventually relocated due to covid restrictions.
To learn about the conference's big issues, Liam spoke to Stephen Hartley, from Victoria University of Wellington about the current state of Biodiversity and what this conference should aim to achieve.
A group of students at the University of Auckland have launched a student-led petition in support of Tertiary Education Union strike action.
This comes as University of Auckland staff who are members of the union have extended a ban on entering or releasing student grades until Thursday.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to two University of Auckland Masters students behind the petition, Izzy Renton and Maria Kopilevich, who are encouraging people to sign their petition before they send it to the University tomorrow.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins takes you through the Wednesday Wire.
For our regular catch up with ACT’s Brooke Van Velden, Jessica asks Brooke about her thoughts on the Government's multi million dollar package to tackle retail crime and reoffending after concerns about a lack of protection for retail workers.
She also speaks to University of Auckland Masters students Izzy Renton and Maria Kopilevich, who have lauched a student-led petition in support of the Tertiary Education Union's strike action.
She also talks to Kaiārahi at Talent Rise New Zealand, Jessica Te Moananui about their report that suggests for young people in Aotearoa, job search confidence is low and fear of the future relating to gaining employment is high.
And The Green Desk is back, hosted by producer Troy Matich. She talks to University of Auckland PhD Candidate Sam Ladewig about a recent study on the effects of microplastics in the Waitemata Harbor.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Allan Blackman joined Casper and Milly in the studiofor Dear Science.
Casper spoke to Naitonal’s Dr Shane Reti about the proposed public media merger.
Milly spoke to Alexander Gillespie from the University of Waikato on the Royal Commission Enquiry into New Zealand’s Covid-19 response
As well as Sir Collin Tukuitonga regarding record lows of Pacifica students smoking.
Milly spoke with Alexander Gillespie from the faculty of law at the University of Waikato regarding a Royal Commission inquiry that has begun investigating the decisions made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sir Collin Tukuitonga speaks to Milly regarding the daily smoking rate in Pasifika students being at an all time low at less than two percent according to the most recent Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) survey.
Many have brought up concerns around the government’s implementation of the merger of TVNZ and RNZ into a single entity, the details of which are still unclear.
A Taxpayer’s Union and Curia poll has support for the plan at only 22%.
For Casper's regular chat with National party MP Dr Shane Reti, they discussed the merger, what concerns National has about it and what else could be done to bolster New Zealand journalism.
The Three Waters reform aims to provide safe, reliable drinking water, better environmental performance of wastewater and stormwater services, efficient, sustainable, resilient and accountable multi-regional water sewage services, and making it affordable for future generations. Taumata Arowai has already been established as the new water regulator and aims to strengthen regulation around the three waters - drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.
Arno spoke with Green Party spokesperson Eugnie Sage to get an overview of the issue and what might happen going forward.
Spike speaks to Jodi Johnston from Campaign for Better Transport about the government's new $350m transport funding package.
Spike speaks to Lisa Burns from Cystic Fibrosis NZ about Pharmac's decision to fund Trikafta, a "life saving" drug for people living with cystic fibrosis.
Today on The Wire for Rāmere Friday!
Joe speaks to Professor Janet Hoek, from the University of Otago, Wellington, about the recently greenlit Smokefree Bill. Joe also speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the paleogenetics lab at the University of Otago about how paleoecology and ancient DNA can help inform whether Mahinga Kai practices could be sustainable, as well as how a CT scan of a toothed bird fossil has possibly changed the history of modern birds.
Daniel speaks to Cindy Baxter, from the Coal Action Network about what role Geoengineering plays in climate action.
David spoke to Mike Lee for our regular segment City Counselling. They spoke about Auckland's railway network. David also spoke to Jason Young, a Politics and International Relations professor from Victoria University of Wellington, about the protests occurring in China.
That's us for the Friday Wire!
A new report has called for a partnership with tangata whenua will be at the heart of our National Parks. Conservationists believe this could weaken the protection of the environment, while Iwi say it could end 135 years of alienation from their land. Joe spoke to Dr Nic Rawlence, from the Paleogenetics lab at the University of Otago, about how paleoecology and ancient dna could be beneficial. They also spoke about how a CT scan of a toothed bird fossil has possibly changed the history of modern birds.
The world is under growing pressure to find sustainable options to cut emissions. Using technologie to interfere in the climate and stop global warming is sounding more and more enticing. Technology entrepreneurs from around the globe claim to have the solutions using geo-engineering. What are those technologies and is it a good idea to use them? Do those technology solutions really lead to sustainable solutions? Or are we distracted by visions of a technological future and do they distract us from what is really needed: cutting emissions.
Daniel spoke with Cindy Baxter, an investigative researcher and policy advisor and she worked over 30 years on a range of environmental issues.
The Health Select Committee has given the go-ahead to the Smokefree Bill this week. The report makes additional recommendations such as limiting the number of tobacco retailers to no more than 600.
Yesterday, Action for Smokefree 2025 (ASH) released their Year 10 survey, which gave some insight into smoking amongst adolescents. The survey showed that smoking rates were declining, however, vaping rates were increasing. In addition, the survey a larger rise for Māori teens using tobacco.
Joe speaks to Professor Janet Hoek from the University of Otago, Wellington, on the matter.
Protests about China’s zero Covid policy have rocked the country over the past week.
The policy aspects include targeted lockdowns, strict quarantine measures, and widespread testing.
But citizen frustration and potential economic impact have prompted experts to ask whether the policy is actually worth it?
David spoke to Victoria University of Wellington Politics and International Relations Associate Professor Jason Young about the topic.
The Russia-Ukraine war has continued to rage on, with scenes echoing that of the first world war as the intense battles lead to mass casualties.
This has continued to overshadow but not delay other negotiations, such as the possibility of capping gas prices including those from Russia.
France has been also negotiating with America and other EU states about subsidy systems, as covered in Liam's chat with Cameron Adams for Eurovision this week.
Yesterday afternoon, Stuff reporters across the country picketed outside their offices from 3pm, striking for a pay rise.
Stella Huggins spoke to the union organiser for the event from E tū, Michael Gilchrist about the movement.
The official terrorisiim risk of New Zealand has recently been moved down to low.
The level, desginated the risk of a terror attack at any givn time, now states that a terror attack isn't likely, but possible.
Aotearoa has been at a medium level since the Christchurch Terror Attacks, which caused the country to go into high for a month.
To learn more, I spoke to Richard Jackson from the University of Otago about what this represents.
Today on the wire:
Tuva’a has his regular chat with health minister Andrew Little chatting about pain parity and a new emergency department for Whangarei Hospital
Liam spoke to Willow Heron about the campaign to reform name change laws for youth in Aotearoa,
Stella’s had a chat with Micheal Gilchrist about the E Tu Unions strike of Stuff Media members
Liam also had a chat with Richard Jackson from the University of Otago about New Zealands terror risk shifting to low,
Hanna spoke to Narissa Harding from the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
And Liam to european correspondent Cameron Adams on Eurovision.
Supermarket workers begin the initiation process for Fair Pay Agreements today, via their union. They are bargaining for wage increases as inflation continues to soar, along with wage progression and improved health and safety standards. While FPAs have garnered significant opposition from business associations and the Parliamentary right, the mood among supermarket workers is one of excitement, solidarity, and hope for future generations.
Hanna spoke to Nerissa Harding, a supermarket worker and organiser with the Council of Trade Unions, about what prospects the negotiations hold for her, her co-workers, and the industry.
A petition has recently been launched calling for the reforming of New Zealand's name change laws.
Under the current system, those between the ages of 16 to 18 are still legally required to receive signed approval from both of their parents outside of certain circumstances.
This can be especially an issue for trans tamariki who have rough relationships with parents, forcing deadnames in legal documents and objects.
Liam had a chat with Willow Heron, who launched the petition, about the current state of our laws and what she thinks needs to change.
On The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday!
Joe speaks to Brooke van Velden in our weekly chat with the ACT Party, this week they’ll be talking about their new school truancy policy and Resource Management Act alternative.
He also speaks to Karen Osbourne, the Chief Executive of Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission about the Access and Choice Report.
Troy speaks Michael Lawry, Managing Director of Sea Shepherd, about a ban on the import of fish from certain fisheries to protect the critically endangered Maui dolphin.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire!
New research has revealed that levels of distress, depression, stress, and suicidal thoughts are alarmingly high for all New Zealanders, especially those aged 18-34. Today, Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission released their Access and Choice programme report, which gave insight into the progress and challenges for the primary care and mental health and addiction sectors in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joe spoke to Karen Osbourne, the Chief Executive of Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission on this matter.
New Zealand's commercial fishing industry faced a massive change today when the US court of International Trade ruled for a temporary ban on the exportation of nine species of fish from New Zealand waters to the US.
Today Troy spoke with Michael Lawry the managing director for the Sea Shepherd conservation group that brought the lawsuit to the US for the protection of New Zealand's critically endangered Māui dolphin.
Milly spoke to Daniel Fulton from swimsafe regarding the different initiatives to encourage young children to learn how to swim as a part of Swimsafer Week.
Last week the Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced a hike to the Official Cash Rate of 75 basis point, which was quite a shock and has been reported on extensively as it’s not usually changed this quickly.
Casper had a chat to Robert MacCoulloch from the University of Auckland about what the OCR is, why the Reserve Bank raised it, and what this might mean for New Zealanders.
Yesterday, there was a big protest organised by the dairy owners association regarding the scale of and response to retail crime in the country.
With so many New Zealanders concerned about retail crime, which is quickly becoming a flashpoint political issue, Casper spoke to Greg Harford from Retail NZ - discussing the government’s response, the issue of retail workers feeling unsafe, and what different causes might be at play.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly spoke to Joel Rindelaub over the phone for Dear Science.
Casper had a chat with Macroeconomist Robert MacCulloch from UoA about last week’s Official Cash Rate Hike.
Milly spoke to Bindi Norwell from procare about pay parity in the healthcare sector.
Casper spoke to Greg Harford about retail crime, how it’s being addressed and taking a critical look at its causes.
And Milly had a chat with Daniel Folton from Swimsafe about reducing rates of drowning and increasing safety in water.
Milly spoke to Bindi Norwell from Procare regarding the recent goverment announcement which gives a pay increase to some healthcare workers but not general practisioners or nurses, who have requested the change.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday:
Spike speaks to Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick about the St. James Theatre and the campaign for its restoration.
Arno speaks to Haden McRobbie from Te Whatu Ora about New Zealand's smoking rates and nicotine consumption trends, and criminologist Dr Ronald Kramer about National's bootcamp plan for youth offenders.
Recent statistics for the 2021 and 2022 period shows smoking rates are at an all-time low in New Zealand. Arno spoke to Haden McRobbie, regional director for the national public health service Te Whatu Ora, to find out more about New Zealand’s nicotine-consuming population, and to find out how the organisation is progressing on its goals toward a smoke-free New Zealand.
National party has proposed to send teen offenders to military-style boot camps. Ten to seventeen year olds are considered being put in a new “serious young offender” category. National's leader Christopher Luxon said the policy was about reforming young offenders and he was confident it would work. Amnesty International and others have said it’s a bad idea. Arno spoke to University of Auckland criminologist Dr Ronald Kramer to find out more.
Spike speaks to Green MP Chloe Swarbrick about the St. James Theatre, and the push to see it restored to its former glory.
This week on The Wire for Rāmere Friday!
Joe speaks to Greenpeace’s James Hita, who confronted a deep sea mining ship off a Mexican coast last week. He also speaks to Dr Nick Munn, a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy from the University of Waikato about justifying lowering the voting age.
95bFM’s News and Editorial Director Jess Hopkins speaks to White Ribbon Day Ambassador Floyd Ormsby about teaching and role modelling ‘healthy masculinity.’
Daniel looks at a project from Waka Kotahi which will look at lowering the speed limit. He talks to Professor of Human Geography Simon Kingham. He also speaks to Anita Azeem from the University of Otago about why gender stereotypes can be problematic in children's movies.
Finally, David speaks to Otago University’s Ben Wheeler about a lifesaving diabetes treatment.
That's us for the Friday Wire!
Blood glucose levels are traditionally measured by the finger prick method.
A device will take a drop of blood from your finger between six to ten times a day and will measure the glucose level in the blood.
However, a new technology called a continuous glucose monitor will allow people with diabetes to go about their lives without having to stop multiple times a day to test their glucose levels.
David spoke to Otago University Professor Ben Wheeler about the technology.
The COP27 summit has recently concluded, resulting in some more plans to tackle climate change being put in place but less effort on wide scale action with the urgency needed.
The international conference took place in Egypt, and saw a new focus on implementation and the way climate change disproportionately affects developing nations.
Liam had a chat with Climate Minister and Green Party Co-leader James Shaw about his outlook after attending the conference, and the current state of climate policy in NZ.
A brief warning that this story contains multiple mentions of suicide.
A new Ipsos study has revealed that three quarters of New Zealands youth has experienced immense mental distress and fourty percent have seriously considered self harm or suicide over the past year.
This issue isn’t only taking place for young people, though - 61% of people between the ages of 35 and 49 said they were stressed to the point they couldn’t cope, and 30% reported feeling suicidal.
With Aotearoa holding one of the highest youth suicide rates in the world, the mental health foundation sez that the current system is in crisis, and urgent action needs to be taken.
Liam Hansen spoke to the MHF CEO, Shaun Robinson, about the Ipsos survey and what needs to change in Aotearoa to improve our suicide rates.
New reports have recently revealed that, despite the government's investments into mental health, there are the same number of acute mental health beds available in Aotearoa as there were five years ago.
This report has also come as new ministry of health figures have shown some improvements to the general health sector since 2017, as well as new possibilities for pharmacists to treat minor ailments.
All that and more was covered in Tuva's chat with Health Minister Andrew Little for this week.
Since the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack, the Labour Government has been looking to expand our hate speech laws.
Under the Human Rights Act, people in Aotearoa are protected from hate speech on the basis of colour, race, ethnic or national origins.
The Government initially proposed extending this to other groups who are vulnerable to harmful speech, including women, disabled people, and queer people.
But the government announced this week that they will only make one amendment to hate speech laws to include religious communities and are seeking broad support across parliament.
95bFM News & Editorial Director spoke to Activist Shaneel Lal about the changes.
E whai ake nei, on the Thursday Wire today:
Tuva’a has his regular chat with Health Minister Andrew Little
Liam talked to Mental Health Foundation CEO Shaun Robinson about mental health infrastructure in Aotearoa
They also have a chat with Climate Minister James Shaw about the COP27 Summit
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Shaneel Lal about the exclusion of women, disabled people, and queer people from the government’s expansion of hate speech laws.
And lastly Liam spoke to bFM European Correspondent Cameron Adams about what’s been happening with the war in Ukraine, the UK’s economy, and more.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins brings you the Wednesday Wire.
She spoke to ACT Party Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden about lowering the voting age and the National Party's plan to combat youth crime during their weekly chat.
Dermet Coffee, a Co-Covenor of the NZ Climate and Health Council, who represents health workers and students around the motu, spoke about them joining the Free Fares Coalition.
And Rachel Mcintosh Vice President of the NZ council of trade unions shared their calls for the Government to follow Australia’s commitment to eliminating violence and harassment in the workplace.
Last week the National party released their Youth Offenders policy, which would designate a serious youth offender category for children as young as 10 years old and create military academies to send some serious young offenders to.
For Casper's weekly catchup with National MP Dr Shane Reti, he asked him to run through the policy and how it would work, as well as respond to some criticisms of these measures.
On the Tuesday Wire Milly Spoke with Kristina Hillock from the Department of Conservation regarding a recent Hectors Dolphin sighting in the North Island and new sightings reporting methods that DoC has introduced.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Allan Blackman joined Casper and Milly in the studio for our Dear Science segment.
Casper spoke to National Party MP Dr Shane Reti about their new Youth Offenders policy announced last week.
Daniel put together a package on the movement to lower the voting age to 16, speaking to Make it 16 cofounder Sanat Singh and Greens MP Golriz Ghahraman.
And Milly had a chat with Kristina Hillock about a new Hector dolphin sighting and updated dolphin recording methods.
Daniel put together a package on the recent supreme court judgement that the voting age of 18 constitutes unfair discrimination.
He first spoke to Make it 16 cofounder Sanat Singh, followed by Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman.
Spike speaks to Jason Attewell from Stats NZ about the 2023 census including, for the first time, questions about gender and sexual identity.
Following the 27th annual UN Climate Change conference, known as COP27, landmark reparations known as Loss and Damage funds have been set up in order to allow wealthy countries to help poorer countries deal with the effects of climate change.
Arno spoke to Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva of the University of Canterbury about the outcomes of COP27, including how New Zealand is helping to fight the effects of climate change on less developed countries.
To start off, Ratuva spoke about the purpose of the conference.
This week on OurActionStation, Spike speaks to Hayden Eastmond-Mein from the New Zealand Drug Foundation about their petition calling for cannabis decriminalisation and pardoning in Aotearoa.
Everyone has heard of Bird of the Year, however, voting for the inaugural Bug of the Year competition opened this week.
New Zealand is home to over 20,000 species of insects and spiders and they make up an important part of our ecosystem.
The Entomological Society hopes this competition will create a new appreciation for our native insects.
David spoke to Christchurch Museum entomologist Morgane Merien about the competition and the importance of bugs to our ecosystem.
Tertiary Education Union members at Waipapa Taumata Rau The University of Auckland will begin a ban on entering and releasing student marks from 7 pm tonight until 7 pm on Friday November 18th.
Organiser Adam Craigie says the strike is a result of continuing frustration and anger from members over what they sey is an inadequate pay offer.
Currently, the University's best offer is contingent on removing important conditions such as retirement leave and does not match rising inflation.
Joe spoke to members of the Union during their rally about what their message to the University and students is.
This week on The Wire for Rāmere Friday!
Joe covers the Tertiary Education Union rally which occurred outside the University of Auckland on Monday. He speaks to members of the Union on the matter.
Joe also speaks to Greenpeace’s plastics campaigner Juressa Lee about their renewed calls for a strong global plastics treaty. We’ve also got a report on Greenpeace activists who met The Hidden Gem, a deep sea mining drill ship, as it came into port in Mexico after conducting test mining in the Pacific.
David spoke to Auckland Counsellor Mike Lee for our regular segment, City Counselling. He also spoke to Hanna Habibi from the Iranian solidarity group and to Morgane Merien from the Christchurch Museum about Bug of the Year.
That's us for the Friday Wire!
Greenpeace Aotearoa has renewed calls for the government to advocate for a strong, legally-binding global plastics treaty as world governments meet at the first Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting (INC1) in Uruguay this month. A petition for a plastics treaty that centres justice launched earlier this year by Greenpeace Aotearoa ahead of the United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2 and has already gathered over 29,000 signatures.
Joe spoke to Greenpeace’s plastics campaigner Juressa Lee on the matter.
The Hidden Gem, commissioned by Canadian miner The Metals Company, has just returned from eight weeks of test mining in the Clarion Clipperton Zone between México and Hawaii. One of the biggest vessels of its type in the world, the ship planned to mine 3,600 tonnes of polymetallic nodules from the seafloor in a trial that could pave the way for full scale commercial mining.
Greenpeace México activists met The Hidden Gem in kayaks holding ‘Stop Deep Sea Mining’ banners while Greenpeace Aotearoa campaigner James Hita delivered a message to the captain of the Hidden Gem via radio
Protests in Iran began two months ago after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini who was detained by so-called morality police for allegedly breaking strict hijab rules.
This week a court in Iran has issued the first death sentence to a person arrested for taking part in the protests against the country's government which began two months ago.
Human rights groups have warned Iranian authorities may be planning mass executions.
A University of Auckland PHD student who is from Iran is calling on Aotearoa, and its Universities to do more to condemn the human rights abuses in Iran.
We started off our interview addressing allegations regarding a University of Auckland staff member, sharing their support of the Iranian regime online.
Russia's war on Ukraine has continued to intensify in recent weeks, as the Kremlin has recently launched the most missiles within a single week of the war so far.
One of these strikes coincided with two stray missiles reaching part of Poland near the border of Ukraine, which led to the deaths of two people.
It’s unconfirmed where these strikes came from, as European Correspondent Cameron Adams reports as a part of this weeks Eurovision segment.
Him and Liam also chatted about the European Commission calling for the incorporation of three new member states into 3 more member states to the Schengen area, and a new deal between France and England to control asylum seekers travelling across the English channel.
New research was released last week taking an archeological look at the time Māori people settled in Aotearoa.
The new dates set the timing of arrival on Te Ika-a-Māui, the North Island at AD 1250 and AD 1275.
For Te Waipounamu, the South Island, the timing looks like 1280 AD to 1295.
To learn more about the research process and what it means, Liam spoke to the University of Waikato’s Fiona Petchey about the findings.
Recent statistics show that 30% of people, mostly women, working in construction in the last five years have experienced at lest one form of sexual harassment.
The Waihanga Ara Rau and Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Councils, supported by the Tertiary Education Commission, have developed practical steps for trade employers to take to ensure women are safe in the workplace from sexual harassment and bullying
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Philip Aldridge, the Chief Executive of Waihanga Ara Rau, the Workforce Development Council for Construction and Infrastructure about their Keep it Decent guidelines.
Issues of Problem Gambling have been plaguing Timaru, however the areas district council have largely allowed their laws to remain the same.
Minor changes have taken place, particularly in letting new venues for gambling operate at a limit of seven pokie machines, but the Problem Gambling Foundation say this is far from enough.
The region's district councillor claims that the funds from gambling is important due to the amount it funds local community groups.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Andree Froude from the Problem Gambling Foundation about the issues.
Russia's war on Ukraine has continued to intensify in recent weeks, as the Kremlin has recently launched the most missiles within a single week of the war so far.
One of these strikes coincided with two stray missiles reaching part of Poland near the border of Ukraine, which led to the deaths of two people.
It’s unconfirmed where these strikes came from, as European Correspondent Cameron Adams reports as a part of this weeks Eurovision segment.
Him and Liam also chatted about the European Commission calling for the incorporation of three new member states into 3 more member states to the Schengen area, and a new deal between France and England to control asylum seekers travelling across the English channel.
Protests in Iran began two months ago after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini who was detained by so-called morality police for allegedly breaking strict hijab rules.
This week a court in Iran has issued the first death sentence to a person arrested for taking part in the protests against the country's government which began two months ago.
Human rights groups have warned Iranian authorities may be planning mass executions.
A University of Auckland PHD student who is from Iran is calling on Aotearoa, and its Universities to do more to condemn the human rights abuses in Iran.
We started off our interview addressing allegations regarding a University of Auckland staff member, sharing their support of the Iranian regime online.
New research was released last week taking an archeological look at the time Māori people settled in Aotearoa.
The new dates set the timing of arrival on Te Ika-a-Māui, the North Island at AD 1250 and AD 1275.
For Te Waipounamu, the South Island, the timing looks like 1280 AD to 1295.
To learn more about the research process and what it means, Liam spoke to the University of Waikato’s Fiona Petchey about the findings.
Issues of Problem Gambling have been plaguing Timaru, however the areas district council have largely allowed their laws to remain the same.
Minor changes have taken place, particularly in letting new venues for gambling operate at a limit of seven pokie machines, but the Problem Gambling Foundation say this is far from enough.
The region's district councillor claims that the funds from gambling is important due to the amount it funds local community groups.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Andree Froude from the Problem Gambling Foundation about the issues.
Recent statistics show that 30% of people, mostly women, working in construction in the last five years have experienced at lest one form of sexual harassment.
The Waihanga Ara Rau and Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Councils, supported by the Tertiary Education Commission, have developed practical steps for trade employers to take to ensure women are safe in the workplace from sexual harassment and bullying
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Philip Aldridge, the Chief Executive of Waihanga Ara Rau, the Workforce Development Council for Construction and Infrastructure about their Keep it Decent guidelines.
Liam makes an incredibly dramatic move for the summer and moves to The Thursday Wire! What a madman!
E whai ake nei, on the show today:
Liam speaks to Hanna Habibi about the mass arrest of protestors in Iran.
Tuva’a has his weekly catch-up with Labour’s Andrew Little.
Liam spoke to Andree Froude from the Problem Gambling Foundation about pokie machine regulations in Timaru.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Philip Aldridge, the Chief Executive of Waihanga Ara Rau, the Workforce Development Council for Construction and Infrastructure, about making businesses and worksites safer for women in the trade industry.
Liam also spoke to Fiona Petchy from the University of Waikato about Māori settlement dates.
And lastly they had a chat with Cameron Adams for Eurovision about the current state of the Ukraine war.
Protests have continued in Iran calling for the overturning the current government, even in the face of mass arrest.
Public trials of arrested protestors have recently begun, recently seeing the first death sentence ordered and others sentenced to ten to fifteen years of jail time.
The protests stemmed from the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22 year old woman who died in police custody - her passing sparked nationwide dissent calling for women's liberation.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Iranian New Zealander and economist Hanna Habibi about what’s been happening on the ground, what’s changed, and what the outcomes of the protests could be.
Liam makes an incredibly dramatic move for the summer and moves to The Thursday Wire! What a madman!
E whai ake nei, on the show today:
Liam speaks to Hanna Habibi about the mass arrest of protestors in Iran.
Tuva’a has his weekly catch-up with Labour’s Andrew Little.
Liam spoke to Andree Froude from the Problem Gambling Foundation about pokie machine regulations in Timaru.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Philip Aldridge, the Chief Executive of Waihanga Ara Rau, the Workforce Development Council for Construction and Infrastructure, about making businesses and worksites safer for women in the trade industry.
Liam also spoke to Fiona Petchy from the University of Waikato about Māori settlement dates.
And lastly they had a chat with Cameron Adams for Eurovision about the current state of the Ukraine war.
Protests have continued in Iran calling for the overturning the current government, even in the face of mass arrest.
Public trials of arrested protestors have recently begun, recently seeing the first death sentence ordered and others sentenced to ten to fifteen years of jail time.
The protests stemmed from the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22 year old woman who died in police custody - her passing sparked nationwide dissent calling for women's liberation.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Iranian New Zealander and economist Hanna Habibi about what’s been happening on the ground, what’s changed, and what the outcomes of the protests could be.
While Jacinda Ardern is in Vietnam for a trade mission we’ve seen announced a new FTA upgrade with ASEAN and Australia.
Some have commented on the possible geopolitical implications of the PM’s diverging visit to Vietnam, and to get a sense of what this means and this significance of the visit Casper talked to Stephen Hoadley, associate professor of politics and international relations at the University of Auckland.
The National party has been quite critical recently of Adrian Orr’s reappointment to the role of governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
This criticism interestingly breaks with tradition as these appointments are generally not politicised, indicating another area where the impacts of Covid have disrupted political processes.
For their regular interview, Casper spoke to National MP Dr Shane Reti about this appointment, why National has been speaking out against it, and what this says about the political independance of the RBNZ governor going forward.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Christina, for the last time, spoke to Joel Rindelaub on the phone for a rather apocalyptic Dear Science.
Casper talked to National MP Dr Shane Reti, this time discussing Adrian Orr’s reappointment as Reserve Bank governor.
Christina also spoke to political commentator and former National press secretary Ben Thomas about what to expect ahead of next year’s general election.
Casper also talked to UoA’s Stephen Hoadley about the Prime Minster’s visit to Vietnam.
And Milly, producing for the Tuesday Wire for the first time, spoke to Liam Rutherford from the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa regarding smaller class sizes to increase school attendance.
While Jacinda Ardern is in Vietnam for a trade mission we’ve seen announced a new FTA upgrade with ASEAN and Australia.
Some have commented on the possible geopolitical implications of the PM’s diverging visit to Vietnam, and to get a sense of what this means and this significance of the visit Casper talked to Stephen Hoadley, associate professor of politics and international relations at the University of Auckland.
The National party has been quite critical recently of Adrian Orr’s reappointment to the role of governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
This criticism interestingly breaks with tradition as these appointments are generally not politicised, indicating another area where the impacts of Covid have disrupted political processes.
For their regular interview, Casper spoke to National MP Dr Shane Reti about this appointment, why National has been speaking out against it, and what this says about the political independance of the RBNZ governor going forward.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Christina, for the last time, spoke to Joel Rindelaub on the phone for a rather apocalyptic Dear Science.
Casper talked to National MP Dr Shane Reti, this time discussing Adrian Orr’s reappointment as Reserve Bank governor.
Christina also spoke to political commentator and former National press secretary Ben Thomas about what to expect ahead of next year’s general election.
Casper also talked to UoA’s Stephen Hoadley about the Prime Minster’s visit to Vietnam.
And Milly, producing for the Tuesday Wire for the first time, spoke to Liam Rutherford from the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa regarding smaller class sizes to increase school attendance.
Justice Minister Kiritapu Allan has recently announced that she plans to reform New Zealand hate speech laws before next year's general election.
This comes after a royal commission report stemming from the christchurch terror attacks stated that New Zealand does not "provide a workable mechanism to deal with hate speech".
Amnesty International Aotearoa has called for stronger laws covering digital hate speech and a widening of which groups are covered.
However, the opposition has opposed these calls, with the ACT party stating they would overturn the changes if they went into power.
Liam spoke to Lisa Woods from Amnesty NZ about the laws, first asking for an overview of the current hate speech laws.
The all important US midterm elections take place on Wednesday our time.
Control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate is up grabs.
Who has the majority in these two chambers will impact how US President Joe Biden and the US government will operate.
David spoke to Otago University Professor of International Relations at the Department of Politics Robert Patman about the topic.
The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as COP27 is soon set to take place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
This is the first COP27 to take place since Russia invaded Ukraine, which has brought world tensions to their brink and seen focus on climate legislation delayed.
That being said, action on the climate crisis remains important - in Europe alone the temperature is rising at .5 degrees celsius per decade according to the World Meteorological Organisation.
To learn more about what this conference will look like, Liam spoke to Bronwyn Hayward, a political science professor at the University of Canterbury.
This week on The Wire for Rāmere, Friday:
Liam had a korero with the University of Canterbury's Bronwyn Hayward about the upcoming COP27 summit
He also had my my first regular chat with Waitemata and gulf councillor Mike Lee for City Counselling
He also spoke to Lisa Woods from Amnesty Aotearoa about reforming hate speech laws in New Zealand.
While David spoke to Robert Patman from Otago University about the US midterm elections.
The recent local elections have resulted in Michael Lee becoming the new councillor for Waitemata and Gulf.
Lee has previously held the position before losing in 2019, now coming back in the midst of a wave of new councillors.
Liam had a chat with him for our City Counselling segment, to learn more about his run, his goals for the future, and helicopters.
Milly speaks to Ellen Rykers from Forest and Bird about this year's Bird of the Year results.
A report into the future of local government commissioned by the Minister of Local Government in New Zealand, Nanaia Mahuta, is in its draft and consultation phase. Stella spoke to Penny Hulse, one of the panel members, about it.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire! Milly joins the show as a producer, chatting to Ellen Rykers from Forest and Bird about the Bird of the Year results. Frances speaks to Ben Green for The Green Desk about flooding in Gisborne. Tuva'a has his weekly catch-up with Andrew Little and Stella speaks to Penny Hulse about the Future of Local Government Report. Stella also talks to the Cuban ambassador to New Zealand, Mr Edgardo Valdés López and Annalucia from Auckland Cuba Friendship Society about sanctions against Cuba by the US and the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
According to a new survey, women now make up over half of Aotearoa’s journalism workforce and are equally represented at all levels in the industry.
However, women journalists also expressed having serious concerns about their safety on the job.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Massey University Associate Professor and Programme Leader in Journalism, Dr James Hollings about these findings, and the responsibility of organisations to protect their journalists.
He was barred from running in the 2018 Brazilian presidential election after being imprisoned for corruption and money laundering, however after his charges were nullified, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is back in the same office he occupied from 2003 to 2010.
Lula narrowly won the runoff election against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, whose time in office was defined by loosening environmental protections and his mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To get some more insight into the election, Emilia spoke to Associate Professor Walescka Pino-Ojeda, Director of the New Zealand Centre for Latin American Studies.
The software engineering industry is in a ‘diversity crisis’, as more and more women are leaving the industry or experiencing high rates of career dissatisfaction.
The University of Auckland’s Dr Kelly Blincoe was the recipient of the Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, and will focus her research on how to retain women in software engineering.
On this week’s installation of Eurovision, Emilia chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams from Berlin about the war in Ukraine, fossil fuel bans, and more!
This week on The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday:
News and Editorial Director Jess Hopkins speaks to David Seymour in our weekly chat with the ACT Party, this week they chat about fair pay agreements and the government’s response to Iran.
Emilia speaks to Dr Kelly Blincoe about the gender diversity crisis in software engineering
She also speak to Walescka Pino-Ojeda from the University of Auckland about the Brazilian presidential election.
Jess also chats to Massey University’s Dr James Hollings about a new study that found women now make up over half of Aotearoa’s journalism workforce, but have serious concerns about their safety on the job.
And Finally we also have Eurovision with our European correspondent Cameron Adams.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire this week! See you next week
The National party is drawing attention to declining pass rates for NCEA students taking literacy and numeracy tests, with only sixty-four percent passing for reading skills, fifty-six percent in numeracy tests and only thirty-four for writing.
For their weekly catch-up Casper discussed this issue with National party MP Shane Reti, as well as the possibility of reform to alcohol laws that the government has recently signalled.
The guilty verdict for Dr Tony Hanne, who was prescribing drugs for ADHD without going through the full official process, is drawing attention to difficulties in getting diagnoses and crucial medication for New Zealanders with the disorder.
To get a sense of what these obstacles look like and how they’re posing such a problem that an expert in the field found himself undercutting the system to get people medication that they need, Casper spoke to Darrin Bull, chairperson of ADHD New Zealand.
Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk has finally acquired Twitter after months of legal threats to go through with the deal. It’s only been a few days, but there are big changes already, he’s axed a number of executives and dissolved the board of directors.
Christina spoke to Dr Ethan Plaut, a communications lecturer at the University of Auckland, for his thoughts on the platform’s new owner.
Happy November, listeners!
Joel Rindelaub joined Christina over the phone for a spooky Halloween special of Dear Science, discussing zombie ants, being scared to death, and existing in a simulation.
Casper spoke to Dr Shane Reti from the National party for our weekly segment about NCEA pass rates and alcohol law reform.
Christina spoke to Dr Ethan Plaut, a University of Auckland communications lecturer, about Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover.
Casper also spoke to Darrin Bull from ADHD New Zealand about the barriers preventing people from obtaining an ADHD diagnosis.
He also had a kōrero with animal rights activist Aya Oba from the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses about their protest against the Melbourne Cup.
The Melbourne Cup is held on the 1st of November every year. It’s a major annual horseracing event which attracts global attention. However, the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses believes that the event is unethical and is staging a protest along Auckland’s waterfront this afternoon, where many venues will be screening the race.
Casper spoke to Aya Oba from the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, to discuss the protest and the group's views on what they call an exploitative and abusive industry.
Restore Passenger Rail is a environmental protest group which has been garnering headlines for disrupting traffic on Wellington highways and glueing themselves to roads.
Over the past two weeks members of the campaign blocked the Urban motorway, and Transmission Gully tunnel and abseiled down the entrance of Mount Victoria tunnel.
Casper spoke to Restore Passenger Rail spokesperson Rosemary Penwarden about their movement and why they believe it’s so urgent that we have passenger rail brought back across the country.
Liz Truss has resigned after just six weeks as UK prime minister, following her failed economic policy.
The Conservative Party, which holds a big majority in parliament will now elect a new leader by October 28.
First News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative, a public policy think tank in Wellington, Dr Oliver Hartwich about Truss’ 45 tumultuous days as Prime Minister and what happens now.
Next, she spoke to Associate Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Auckland, Dr Neal Curtis about the current state of UK politics.
An independent panel was appointed by the Minister of Justice in May to lead a review of Aotearoa’s electoral law.
The independent electoral review will look at election rules such as the voting age and overseas voting funding of political parties.
The panel is looking for people to share their thoughts on what could make our electoral system better before it makes its final recommendations to the Government at the end of 2023.
I spoke to Victoria University student and disability advocate Alice Mander, about what the panel is expected to discuss and who they want to hear from.
Happy Tuesday! On today's Wire with Christina and Casper. Allan Blackman joined the team live on air to talk Black Plague, mozzies and the DART mission for Dear Science.
Casper spoke to Dr Shane Reti from the National Party for their weekly segment about their proposed social investment fund. He also had a kōrero with Rosemary Penwarden from Restore Passenger Rail about their campaign and recent protest activity on Wellington highways.
Christina spoke to Dr Stephen Noakes, a senior politics lecturer from the University of Auckland, about the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th National Congress and Xi Jinping's continued grasp on power. She also reported on Rishi Sunak, who is set to become UK's next Prime Minister in the wake of Liz Truss' resignation last week.
The stage is set for a new UK prime minister after contenders one by one ruled themselves out of the race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party.
Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, will lead the country in a time of political and economic turmoil in Britain, in the wake of Liz Truss after just 45 days as PM.
Christina Huang reports.
With the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party wrapping up, President Xi Jinping has been handed a third term in power. It breaks the unofficial precedent established since Mao Zedong’s death in 1976, where presidents have traditionally ruled for just two terms.
For more on this monumental event in recent Chinese history, Christina spoke to Dr Stephen Noakes, a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations from the University of Auckland.
The National party has proposed creating a social investment fund, in a callback to a signature policy of former leader Bill English.
Social Investment spokesperson Nicola Willis proposed funding the policy in collaboration with philanthropists.
For Casper's weekly catchup with National’s Dr. Shane Reti they discussed this policy, how it differs from the current approach and how exactly funding through donations might play out.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative, Dr Oliver Hartwich and Associate Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Auckland, Dr Neal Curtis about Liz Truss resigning after just six weeks as UK Prime Minister.
Victoria University student and disability advocate Alice Mander talks about the panel set to lead a review of Aotearoa’s electoral law.
And for our Bird of the Year special, Jessica interviewed Forest and Bird's Ellen Rykers and several campaign managers about the competition.
Forest and Bird’s annual Bird of the Year competition, Te Manu Rongo-nui o te Tau, is underway, with 71 candidates vying to be 2022’s top bird.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Ellen Rykers from Forest and Bird about why Bird of the Year is so important for raising awareness about Aotearoa’s diverse bird species, 80% of which are facing extinction.
And to help you make your decision, Jessica spoke to several campaign managers about why their bird should get your vote, and why Bird of the Year is important to them.
Today on Green Desk, Joel Armstrong spoke to Professor Craig Stevens from NIWA and the University of Auckland about the state of Aotearoa's marine environment.
University of Auckland post-doctoral candidate Annie West published a study last week that identified Kākāpō as having a markedly less diverse gut microbiome than other herbivores. Stella speaks to her about the research.
Today, Stella hosts The Green Desk, as Frances is away. She speaks to one of the authors of a global study about the role that termites may play in climate change. Cate Macinnis-Ng is an associate professor in the school of biological sciences at the university of auckland, and has a particular research interest in plant responses to climatic conditions and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity more broadly.
University of Auckland post-doctoral candidate Annie West published a study last week that identified Kākāpō as having a markedly less diverse gut microbiome than other herbivores. Stella speaks to her about the research.
Russia has recently announced their annexation of Ukrainian territory, but the move has been deemed illegal, and condemned by many actors. Aotearoa has joined the chorus of condemnation this week. Stella speaks to Geoffrey Miller, a geopolitical analyst from The Democracy Project, about the significance of our nation’s response.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire!
This week on the show Stella speaks to geopolitical analyst from The Democracy Project, Geoffrey Miller, about Aotearoa’s formal response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine. We’ve got our regular segment with Andrew Little brought to us by Tuva’a. Stella speaks to Annie West, a doctoral candidate at the University of Auckland about her research on Kākāpō gut microbiomes. Stella also speaks to Cate Macinnis-Ng about her co authorship of a new study showing that termites may play a pivotal role in climate change. Finally, News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Auckland Transport Metro Services Manager Derek Koper about filling bus driver shortages in preparation for Auckland's rail network rebuild.
It was announced this week that Auckland’s rail network is undergoing a rebuild, which will see major rail lines temporarily close. Buses are expected to replace these services, but AT and other transport agencies are urging Immigration and Transport Minister Michael Wood to allow bus driver shortages to be filled by overseas workers. News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Auckland Transport Metro Services Manager Derek Koper.
Russia has recently announced their annexation of Ukrainian territory, but the move has been deemed illegal, and condemned by many actors. Aotearoa has joined the chorus of condemnation this week. Stella speaks to Geoffrey Miller, a geopolitical analyst from The Democracy Project, about the significance of our nation’s response.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire!
This week on the show Stella speaks to geopolitical analyst from The Democracy Project, Geoffrey Miller, about Aotearoa’s formal response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine. We’ve got our regular segment with Andrew Little brought to us by Tuva’a. Stella speaks to Annie West, a doctoral candidate at the University of Auckland about her research on Kākāpō gut microbiomes. Stella also speaks to Cate Macinnis-Ng about her co authorship of a new study showing that termites may play a pivotal role in climate change. Finally, News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Auckland Transport Metro Services Manager Derek Koper about filling bus driver shortages in preparation for Auckland's rail network rebuild.
Tuva’a who speaks to the Health Minister, Labour's Andrew Little in their weekly catch-up, today discussing pay differences for GP vs hospital doctor trainees.
Today, Stella hosts The Green Desk, as Frances is away. She speaks to one of the authors of a global study about the role that termites may play in climate change. Cate Macinnis-Ng is an associate professor in the school of biological sciences at the university of auckland, and has a particular research interest in plant responses to climatic conditions and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity more broadly.
Tuva’a who speaks to the Health Minister, Labour's Andrew Little in their weekly catch-up, today discussing pay differences for GP vs hospital doctor trainees.
It was announced this week that Auckland’s rail network is undergoing a rebuild, which will see major rail lines temporarily close. Buses are expected to replace these services, but AT and other transport agencies are urging Immigration and Transport Minister Michael Wood to allow bus driver shortages to be filled by overseas workers. News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Auckland Transport Metro Services Manager Derek Koper.
This week on The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday:
Casper speaks to David Seymour in our weekly chat with the ACT Party, this week, they chat about the ACT party's calls to reduce or scrap mandatory covid isolation periods, as well as their party fundraiser for Ukraine.
Emilia chats to Dr Sean Sturm from the Tertiary Education Union about their decision to strike for better pay.
She also chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams in this week's installation of Eurovision
And News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Louisa Jones from First Union about bus driver shortages across Aotearoa.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire! See you next week.
On this week’s installation of Eurovision, I chat with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams from Berlin about Ukraine, elections in Bosnia, and more.
Tāmaki Makurau's rail network is undergoing a major rebuild, which will see rail lines across the city temporarily close over the coming years.
These services are expected to be replaced by buses.
Three regional transport agencies, including Auckland Transport are calling on immigration minister Michael Wood to urgently review immigration settings to address the country's bus driver shortage.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Louisa Jones from First Union who is concerned that failure to address existing conditions for bus drivers could discourage people from using public transport.
Staff from all 8 of Aotearoa’s universities have voted to strike tomorrow, demanding a pay rise of 8 per cent to match inflation.
87 per cent of Tertiary Education Union members voted in favour of the strike action, which comes just weeks before students are set to begin exams, citing difficulties keeping up with the cost of living, and "unmanageable workloads" caused by persistent cost cutting and underinvestment in staff.
Emilia spoke to Dr Sean Sturm, a University of Auckland lecturer who is a bargaining team representative at the Tertiary Education Union
This week on The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday:
Casper speaks to David Seymour in our weekly chat with the ACT Party, this week, they chat about the ACT party's calls to reduce or scrap mandatory covid isolation periods, as well as their party fundraiser for Ukraine.
Emilia chats to Dr Sean Sturm from the Tertiary Education Union about their decision to strike for better pay.
She also chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams in this week's installation of Eurovision
And News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Louisa Jones from First Union about bus driver shortages across Aotearoa.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire! See you next week.
On this week’s installation of Eurovision, I chat with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams from Berlin about Ukraine, elections in Bosnia, and more.
Tāmaki Makurau's rail network is undergoing a major rebuild, which will see rail lines across the city temporarily close over the coming years.
These services are expected to be replaced by buses.
Three regional transport agencies, including Auckland Transport are calling on immigration minister Michael Wood to urgently review immigration settings to address the country's bus driver shortage.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Louisa Jones from First Union who is concerned that failure to address existing conditions for bus drivers could discourage people from using public transport.
Staff from all 8 of Aotearoa’s universities have voted to strike tomorrow, demanding a pay rise of 8 per cent to match inflation.
87 per cent of Tertiary Education Union members voted in favour of the strike action, which comes just weeks before students are set to begin exams, citing difficulties keeping up with the cost of living, and "unmanageable workloads" caused by persistent cost cutting and underinvestment in staff.
Emilia spoke to Dr Sean Sturm, a University of Auckland lecturer who is a bargaining team representative at the Tertiary Education Union
Towns and cities across Aotearoa will be lighting up their landmarks and prominent buildings in pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October.
Joe spoke to Ah-Leen Rayner, the Chief Executive of The Breast Foundation, about supporting breast cancer initiatives and spreading awareness of early detection.
A partnership between Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha (University of Canterbury) and Christchurch City Council is leading the world in understanding and adapting to risk from climate change.
The research is developing methodology and guidance for councils to assess their risk. The team of researchers, which includes experts from NIWA, Resilient Organisations, and Urban Intelligence, is working with the Christchurch City Council as it creates its coastal hazards adaptation plan.
Joe speaks with Dr Tom Logan, a Civil Systems Engineering lecturer at the University of Canterbury, on the matter.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Chief Executive of the Breast Cancer Foundation Ah-Leen Rayner, about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and how we can support breast cancer initiatives and spread awareness of early detection.
Joe also speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence, from the Paleogenetics Lab at the University of Otago, about the extinct upokororo and how his research into its ancient DNA can teach us about how we treat our waters here in Aotearoa.
Joe finally speaks to Dr Tom Logan from the University of Canterbury about the work he’s doing with the Christchurch City Council surrounding climate change.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
In 1923, Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck) documented the last confirmed capture of a special fish – the upokororo or New Zealand grayling. Now, researchers are using using its ancient DNA to finally provide some answers to how it went extinct.
Genetic data provides a new tool in the search for survivors. Environmental DNA in water samples from remote catchments can now be compared routinely to known DNA from the upokororo.
Fish populations are in sharp decline globally. Lessons learned from past extinctions, like that of the upokororo, can help us preserve fish species for future generations. Hopefully we can heed the lessons from the past.
Joe speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the Palaeogenetics Lab at the University of Otago on the matter.
In 1923, Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck) documented the last confirmed capture of a special fish – the upokororo or New Zealand grayling. Now, researchers are using using its ancient DNA to finally provide some answers to how it went extinct.
Genetic data provides a new tool in the search for survivors. Environmental DNA in water samples from remote catchments can now be compared routinely to known DNA from the upokororo.
Fish populations are in sharp decline globally. Lessons learned from past extinctions, like that of the upokororo, can help us preserve fish species for future generations. Hopefully we can heed the lessons from the past.
Joe speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the Palaeogenetics Lab at the University of Otago on the matter.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Chief Executive of the Breast Cancer Foundation Ah-Leen Rayner, about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and how we can support breast cancer initiatives and spread awareness of early detection.
Joe also speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence, from the Paleogenetics Lab at the University of Otago, about the extinct upokororo and how his research into its ancient DNA can teach us about how we treat our waters here in Aotearoa.
Joe finally speaks to Dr Tom Logan from the University of Canterbury about the work he’s doing with the Christchurch City Council surrounding climate change.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
Towns and cities across Aotearoa will be lighting up their landmarks and prominent buildings in pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October.
Joe spoke to Ah-Leen Rayner, the Chief Executive of The Breast Foundation, about supporting breast cancer initiatives and spreading awareness of early detection.
A partnership between Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha (University of Canterbury) and Christchurch City Council is leading the world in understanding and adapting to risk from climate change.
The research is developing methodology and guidance for councils to assess their risk. The team of researchers, which includes experts from NIWA, Resilient Organisations, and Urban Intelligence, is working with the Christchurch City Council as it creates its coastal hazards adaptation plan.
Joe speaks with Dr Tom Logan, a Civil Systems Engineering lecturer at the University of Canterbury, on the matter.
In 1923, Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck) documented the last confirmed capture of a special fish – the upokororo or New Zealand grayling. Now, researchers are using using its ancient DNA to finally provide some answers to how it went extinct.
Genetic data provides a new tool in the search for survivors. Environmental DNA in water samples from remote catchments can now be compared routinely to known DNA from the upokororo.
Fish populations are in sharp decline globally. Lessons learned from past extinctions, like that of the upokororo, can help us preserve fish species for future generations. Hopefully we can heed the lessons from the past.
Joe speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the Palaeogenetics Lab at the University of Otago on the matter.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Chief Executive of the Breast Cancer Foundation Ah-Leen Rayner, about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and how we can support breast cancer initiatives and spread awareness of early detection.
Joe also speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence, from the Paleogenetics Lab at the University of Otago, about the extinct upokororo and how his research into its ancient DNA can teach us about how we treat our waters here in Aotearoa.
Joe finally speaks to Dr Tom Logan from the University of Canterbury about the work he’s doing with the Christchurch City Council surrounding climate change.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
Towns and cities across Aotearoa will be lighting up their landmarks and prominent buildings in pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October.
Joe spoke to Ah-Leen Rayner, the Chief Executive of The Breast Foundation, about supporting breast cancer initiatives and spreading awareness of early detection.
A partnership between Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha (University of Canterbury) and Christchurch City Council is leading the world in understanding and adapting to risk from climate change.
The research is developing methodology and guidance for councils to assess their risk. The team of researchers, which includes experts from NIWA, Resilient Organisations, and Urban Intelligence, is working with the Christchurch City Council as it creates its coastal hazards adaptation plan.
Joe speaks with Dr Tom Logan, a Civil Systems Engineering lecturer at the University of Canterbury, on the matter.
Green Party MP Jan Logie has recently spearheaded an open letter to see welfare improved for parents of young children.
Addressed to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni, the letter called for one central family support credit instead of multiple different kinds.
Logie also calls for the Best Start Credit that supports parents through weekly paid instalments to be increased from one year of funds to three years after the baby is born.
The best start payment was introduced in 2018, giving families with under twelve month old's $60pw depending on their income, a number the Greens are also calling to be increased.
Liam spoke to Logie to learn more.
The first round of Brazil’s presidential election takes place next Monday New Zealand time.
The two front runners will be former President Lula and controversial current President Jair Bolsonaro.
There are worries Bolsonaro will refuse to accept the results of the election if he loses. This could spill out into violence.
David spoke to Brazilian New Zealander Pedro Mello about what could happen.
The first haast tokoeka kiwi chick of the 2022-23 season has hatched.
The notoriously shy and tough bird lives in the rainy and wet South Westland region.
While the adult kiwi has a very life expectancy, the Department of Conservation has two breeding programs for the chicks.
David spoke to DOC Biodiversity Supervisor Polina Stucke about the haast tokoeka kiwi and its breeding programs.
Today on The Wire:
Liam spoke to Jan Logie of the Green Party about her open letter to the Prime Minister to improve welfare support for parents of young children.
David spoke to Pedro Mello about the upcoming Brazilian Elections.
We also have a series of interviews from Jack Horsnell at last week's Climate Protests in Tamaki Makaurau. He spoke to protesters about what they were calling for and why they believe climate change is important.
Liam also had a chat with Anton Ashcroft from Divergent Thinking NZ about the struggle neurodiverse students go under in schools.
David also spoke to the first haast tokoeka kiwi chick of the 2022-23 season Polina Stucke.
And finally Liam had a korero with Kelly Dombroski from Massey University about how Christchurch has implemented community installations and arts events after the earthquakes.
A major research project has recently concluded, investigating the urban transformation of Ōutautahi Christchurch.
Made with the support of arts organisation Life in Vacant Spaces, the project has reflected on the arts events and creative spaces that were formed at the outset of the earthquakes.
The research also detailed the positive mental health affects of the installations and events, as well as some positive ecological impacts.
Liam spoke to Massey University research fellow and lead researcher Kelly Dombroski, first asking her to run through the research titled Huritanga: ten years of transformational place-making.
Cities across Iran have erupted in protests following the death of 22-year old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini 2 weeks ago.
Amini was arrested by the so-called morality police in Tehran for allegedly breaching the country’s strict modesty laws that require women to wear a hijab.
Authorities claim Amini died of heart failure after she was taken into custody to be quote ‘educated’, however her family claims she was beaten and tortured, before falling into a 3-day coma and eventually succumbing to her injuries.
Iran Human Rights said it had recorded the deaths of 76 protesters across 14 provinces as of Monday, including six women and four children, although it warned that restrictions on the internet placed by the Iranian government were causing delays in reporting.
Emilia spoke to Dr. Forough Amin, founder of Iranian Women in New Zealand.
The new UK government has only been in power for less a month, yet has already found itself in economic and political turmoil following the release of a package of tax cuts and borrowing.
Newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, released his ‘mini-budget’ last week, prompting a sharp devaluation of the Great British Pound against the greenback.
The International Monetary Fund today took aim at the package, warning that "large and untargeted fiscal packages" would likely increase inequality in Britain and could undermine monetary policy.
To get more on the currency crisis, as well as how it may impact us in Aotearoa, Emilia spoke to Murat Üngör from the University of Otago.
On this week’s installation of Eurovision, Emilia chats with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams from Berlin about Ukraine, the Italian elections, and wildlife in Europe.
This week on The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday:
Casper speaks to David Seymour about the Christchurch Call and investment in New Zealand in our weekly chat with the ACT Party.
Emilia chats to Dr. Forough Amin about the protests throughout Iran following the death of a 22-year old woman in police custody.
She also speaks to Murat Üngör from the University of Otago about the currency crisis in the United Kingdom and how it could impact us over here.
And finally she chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams in Eurovision about Ukraine, Italian elections and more.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire! See you next week.
The National party put out a press release last week reiterating their call to expel the Russian ambassador Georgii Zuev.
Foreign affairs minister Nanaia Mahuta says the move to expel Zuev is under active consideration.
For Casper's weekly catchup with National MP Dr Shane Reti they spoke about the potential move to expel the ambassador and why the party believes it should happen.
The NZ Drug Foundation has called for a thorough overhaul of Aotearoa's approach to the treatment of Methamphetamine, following a new report which showed that existing policies were failing the community and causing significant harm.
This recent report, Minimising the Harms from Methamphetamine, jointly commissioned by the NZ Drug Foundation and the Helen Clark Foundation, takes an in-depth look at how methamphetamine is impacting Aotearoa and proposes a various of new health-based solutions backed by local and international evidence.
Joe spoke to Sarah Helm, the NZ Drug Foundation’s Executive Director, on the matter.
The NZ Drug Foundation has called for a thorough overhaul of Aotearoa's approach to the treatment of Methamphetamine, following a new report which showed that existing policies were failing the community and causing significant harm.
This recent report, Minimising the Harms from Methamphetamine, jointly commissioned by the NZ Drug Foundation and the Helen Clark Foundation, takes an in-depth look at how methamphetamine is impacting Aotearoa and proposes a various of new health-based solutions backed by local and international evidence.
Joe spoke to Sarah Helm, the NZ Drug Foundation’s Executive Director, on the matter.
Federated Farmers, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ are calling for winter grazing regulations to be delayed again.
Intensive winter grazing regulations were meant to come into effect in May 2021, but were initially delayed until May 2022, only to be further delayed to November 2022. SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says the multiple delays have left animals to suffer in cold, wet, and muddy conditions. This has led to questions being raised about animal welfare.
Joe spoke to Emma Brodie, SAFE’s Campaign Officer, on the matter.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Emma Brodie, a Campaign's Officer from SAFE for Animals, about animals continuing to suffer amidst calls from agri-business to delay winter grazing regulations. He also chats with Katherine Ellis from the University of Canterbury, about women with endometriosis experiencing long delays and dismissive doctors before a diagnosis. Finally, Joe speaks to Sarah Helm, the NZ Drug Foundation’s Executive Director, about the recent report to overhaul Aotearoa’s approach to methamphetamine treatment
For this weeks regular fortnightly segment, Tomorrow's World! Isla and Stella explore a new combination of methodologies that means we can extract DNA from shells. They speak to Kerry Walton from the University of Otago on the matter.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
Endometriosis is a chronically painful, invasive, inflammatory disease, with limited treatment options and long delays to diagnosis, which impacts 10% of females in New Zealand.
This study, conducted by the University of Canterbury, covers three themes associated with endometriosis patient experiences: intensity of pain, diagnostic tool shortcomings and perspectives of treatment options.
Joe spoke to Katherine Ellis, one of the co-authors of the study from the University of Canterbury, on the matter.
Endometriosis is a chronically painful, invasive, inflammatory disease, with limited treatment options and long delays to diagnosis, which impacts 10% of females in New Zealand.
This study, conducted by the University of Canterbury, covers three themes associated with endometriosis patient experiences: intensity of pain, diagnostic tool shortcomings and perspectives of treatment options.
Joe spoke to Katherine Ellis, one of the co-authors of the study from the University of Canterbury, on the matter.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Emma Brodie, a Campaign's Officer from SAFE for Animals, about animals continuing to suffer amidst calls from agri-business to delay winter grazing regulations. He also chats with Katherine Ellis from the University of Canterbury, about women with endometriosis experiencing long delays and dismissive doctors before a diagnosis. Finally, Joe speaks to Sarah Helm, the NZ Drug Foundation’s Executive Director, about the recent report to overhaul Aotearoa’s approach to methamphetamine treatment
For this weeks regular fortnightly segment, Tomorrow's World! Isla and Stella explore a new combination of methodologies that means we can extract DNA from shells. They speak to Kerry Walton from the University of Otago on the matter.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
Federated Farmers, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ are calling for winter grazing regulations to be delayed again.
Intensive winter grazing regulations were meant to come into effect in May 2021, but were initially delayed until May 2022, only to be further delayed to November 2022. SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says the multiple delays have left animals to suffer in cold, wet, and muddy conditions. This has led to questions being raised about animal welfare.
Joe spoke to Emma Brodie, SAFE’s Campaign Officer, on the matter.
Dominic Bryce Abelen was recently the first New Zealand serving soldier to be killed in Ukraine.
Thousands of individuals across the world have answered the call to fight in the war in Ukraine.
David spoke to Waikato University law professor Alexander Gillespe about the kinds of people fighting in the war.
Antarctica New Zealand has recently deployed new underwater robots to document the bottom of the ross sea.
The new robots conduct “speed-sampling” , a new style of sampling allowing quick capturing of areas regular divers cannot receive.
These robots are being deployed in efforts to understand as much of the ross sea as possible, before the changing climate makes that task impossible.
Liam had a kōrero with MIles Lamar, an investigator on the Antarctica New Zealand programme, about the robot and the climate.
Dominic Bryce Abelen was recently the first New Zealand serving soldier to be killed in Ukraine.
Thousands of individuals across the world have answered the call to fight in the war in Ukraine.
David spoke to Waikato University law professor Alexander Gillespe about the kinds of people fighting in the war.
Antarctica New Zealand has recently deployed new underwater robots to document the bottom of the ross sea.
The new robots conduct “speed-sampling” , a new style of sampling allowing quick capturing of areas regular divers cannot receive.
These robots are being deployed in efforts to understand as much of the ross sea as possible, before the changing climate makes that task impossible.
Liam had a kōrero with MIles Lamar, an investigator on the Antarctica New Zealand programme, about the robot and the climate.
Workers at the Opal Kiwi Packaging plant in Auckland are currently on strike.
They want a fair wage so they don’t have to work excess amounts of overtime to just get by.
David spoke to E tu organiser Alvy Tata, while she was on the picket line, about the strike.
Policy.nz is back! The website breaking down the candidates of local elections has been relaunched for the upcoming votes in a few weeks time.
The website has been running since 2017, and is currently compiling each of the over 500 candidates and breaking down their policies.
Liam had a chat with their editorial director, Ollie Neas, about what’s gone into the site and how people can use it.
Workers at the Opal Kiwi Packaging plant in Auckland are currently on strike.
They want a fair wage so they don’t have to work excess amounts of overtime to just get by.
David spoke to E tu organiser Alvy Tata, while she was on the picket line, about the strike.
Policy.nz is back! The website breaking down the candidates of local elections has been relaunched for the upcoming votes in a few weeks time.
The website has been running since 2017, and is currently compiling each of the over 500 candidates and breaking down their policies.
Liam had a chat with their editorial director, Ollie Neas, about what’s gone into the site and how people can use it.
Stella speaks with Dr Jagadish Thaker, a senior lecturer from the University of Auckland about a new study from the University of Cambridge that offers a strategy for combating misinformation online using inoculation theory.
Welcome back to the Thursday Wire!
Stella speaks to John Crocker, the secretary of Unite Union, about the lockout of union workers in the Kawerau Purex factory.
Tuva’a has his regular catch-up with Labour's Andrew Little.
Stella spoke to Dr Jagadish Thaker, senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, about a recent paper published by the University of Cambridge regarding how we can battle misinformation.
145 workers at the Kawerau factory that manufactures Purex toilet paper have been locked out for three weeks after their strike and rejection of a three percent pay rise. Today, Stella spoke to John Crocker, secretary of Unite Union, about the dynamics of lockouts, and the unusual aspects of this particular case.
Tuva’a’s weekly catch-up with the honourable Andrew Little, from the Labour Party- this week they speak about the class action lawsuit from College of Midwives against the Ministry of Health.
Stella speaks with Dr Jagadish Thaker, a senior lecturer from the University of Auckland about a new study from the University of Cambridge that offers a strategy for combating misinformation online using inoculation theory.
Welcome back to the Thursday Wire!
Stella speaks to John Crocker, the secretary of Unite Union, about the lockout of union workers in the Kawerau Purex factory.
Tuva’a has his regular catch-up with Labour's Andrew Little.
Stella spoke to Dr Jagadish Thaker, senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, about a recent paper published by the University of Cambridge regarding how we can battle misinformation.
145 workers at the Kawerau factory that manufactures Purex toilet paper have been locked out for three weeks after their strike and rejection of a three percent pay rise. Today, Stella spoke to John Crocker, secretary of Unite Union, about the dynamics of lockouts, and the unusual aspects of this particular case.
Tuva’a’s weekly catch-up with the honourable Andrew Little, from the Labour Party- this week they speak about the class action lawsuit from College of Midwives against the Ministry of Health.
In just over two weeks, ballots will be sent out to households around Auckland to vote in this year's Mayoral election.
With political veteran Phil Goff calling it a day, over TWENTY candidates are vying for Auckland’s highest political seat.
To discuss the happenings in the Auckland Mayoral Campaign and what young people should be paying attention to this election cycle, Emilia spoke to Newsroom Co-Editor Tim Murphy.
Tim will be MCing the Make Me Mayor debate at the University next Thursday the 8th of September.
Labeling grocery products with the amount of added sugar they contain may not make much of a difference to consumer’s shopping habits.
This is according to new research from Australia in collaboration with Cliona Ni Mhurchu from the University of Auckland.
Emilia spoke to Cliona this morning about her research.
This week on The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday...
Alex speaks to Brooke van Velden in his weekly chat with the ACT Party deputy leader.
Emilia chats to Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy about the Auckland Mayoral elections.
She chats to associate Professor Katherine Ravenswood from AUT about the report into the wellbeing of support workers.
She also speaks with Paul Brown from the Disabled Persons Assembly about the challenges that disabled people face in accessing transport
And she speaks to Cliona Ni Mhurchu from the University of Auckland about her research into added sugar labeling on grocery items.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire! See you next week.
The impacts of transport challenges on disabled people’s lives can be devastating, a recently published research report shows.
The research was a collaboration between the Disabled Person’s Assembly and transport consultants, and sought to illustrate the impact that a lack of access to reliable transport, if any transport at all, has on Aotearoa’s disabled community.
To get some insight into the report, Emilia spoke to the DPA’s policy advisor Paul Brown about the report.
New research illustrates the severe mental and physical toll that the Covid-19 pandemic had on community support workers in Aotearoa.
The study was conducted by AUT researchers, who collaborated with union representatives from E tū and PSA to reveal the huge psychosocial and physical impacts on social support workers.
Later today, the researchers will meet with Minister of Health, Andrew Little, to seek commitments to take crucial action on its recommendations.
To hear more about this, Emilia spoke to Associate Professor Katherine Ravenswood from AUT.
This week on The Wire for Rātu Tuesday!
As per usual, we have Dear Science with Alan Blackman today. We talk about Ernest Rutherfod, sex and bloody mozzies.
Jess speaks to Caitlin Wilson, a YWRC Help Centre Co-ordinator, and Dr Mike Webster about new research published by the Human Rights Commission that shows there is still a high prevalence of workplace bullying and harassment in Aotearoa, with two in five people saying they have been bullied at work. Joe also looks at this new research. He speaks to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo on the matter.
Joe also speaks to Rothman Kam, a Senior Lecturer of Food Science & Microbiology at AUT about how Avocado seeds are being used to manufacturer a new snack and his findings can be used to address avocado wastage.
That's us for the Tuesday Wire!
Avocado seeds account for 13% of the waste from industrial production of cold-pressed avocado oil. A study from New Zealand based researchers aimed at valorising avocado seeds by converting it into an extruded snack product using a friction cooker and comparing their textural and physical characteristics to extruded brown rice and malted barley ready to eat snacks.
Joe spoke to one of the authors of the study, Rothman Kam, a Senior Lecturer of Food Science & Microbiology at AUT, about his findings and how this relates to addressing avocado wastage.
Avocado seeds account for 13% of the waste from industrial production of cold-pressed avocado oil. A study from New Zealand based researchers aimed at valorising avocado seeds by converting it into an extruded snack product using a friction cooker and comparing their textural and physical characteristics to extruded brown rice and malted barley ready to eat snacks.
Joe spoke to one of the authors of the study, Rothman Kam, a Senior Lecturer of Food Science & Microbiology at AUT, about his findings and how this relates to addressing avocado wastage.
This week on The Wire for Rātu Tuesday!
As per usual, we have Dear Science with Alan Blackman today. We talk about Ernest Rutherfod, sex and bloody mozzies.
Jess speaks to Caitlin Wilson, a YWRC Help Centre Co-ordinator, and Dr Mike Webster about new research published by the Human Rights Commission that shows there is still a high prevalence of workplace bullying and harassment in Aotearoa, with two in five people saying they have been bullied at work. Joe also looks at this new research. He speaks to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo on the matter.
Joe also speaks to Rothman Kam, a Senior Lecturer of Food Science & Microbiology at AUT about how Avocado seeds are being used to manufacturer a new snack and his findings can be used to address avocado wastage.
That's us for the Tuesday Wire!
Today on Dear Science, co-hosts Jessica Hopkins and Joe Wickins take over for the birthday of New Zealand physicist Ernest Rutherford. Alan Blackman talks about the career of the 1908 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner.
They also discuss some questionable research about smell and sexual desire and bloody mozzies.
New research published by the Human Rights Commission has shown there is a high prevalence of workplace bullying and harassment in Aotearoa with two in five people saying they have been bullied at work.
Young people, Māori, Pacific, Asian, as well as disabled and bisexual workers, were found to be disproportionately affected by bullying and harassment in the workplace.
Firstly, Joe Wickins spoke to Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo, who says people shouldn’t have to fear for their mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing while earning a living.
“It is unacceptable that abuse is occurring and is so widespread in our workplaces. We are essentially failing our people."
Then Jessica Hopkins spoke to Caitlin Wilson from the Young Workers Resource Centre about why young people are more likely to be on the receiving end of workplace bullying and harassment.
Finally, Dr Mike Webster from The University of Auckland shares his thoughts on what causes a culture of bullying in the workplace and why it has been a prevalent issue in Aotearoa for so long.
New research published by the Human Rights Commission has shown there is a high prevalence of workplace bullying and harassment in Aotearoa with two in five people saying they have been bullied at work.
Young people, Māori, Pacific, Asian, as well as disabled and bisexual workers, were found to be disproportionately affected by bullying and harassment in the workplace.
Firstly, Joe Wickins spoke to Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo, who says people shouldn’t have to fear for their mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing while earning a living.
“It is unacceptable that abuse is occurring and is so widespread in our workplaces. We are essentially failing our people."
Then Jessica Hopkins spoke to Caitlin Wilson from the Young Workers Resource Centre about why young people are more likely to be on the receiving end of workplace bullying and harassment.
Finally, Dr Mike Webster from The University of Auckland shares his thoughts on what causes a culture of bullying in the workplace and why it has been a prevalent issue in Aotearoa for so long.
Today on Dear Science, co-hosts Jessica Hopkins and Joe Wickins take over for the birthday of New Zealand physicist Ernest Rutherford. Alan Blackman talks about the career of the 1908 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner.
They also discuss some questionable research about smell and sexual desire and bloody mozzies.
Trishil speaks to Dr Nicki Jackson from Alcohol Health Watch about the Minimisation Bill.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Greenpeace about the UN Treaty to Protect Sea Life and how the UN is failing to reach an agreement, Anne Daniels from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation about the Primary Health Care rally happening today, Dr Makarena Dudley, a Dementia Researcher from the University of Auckland, about recruiting more Māori participants in their studies. Finally, Joe speaks to Lisa Woods, Campaign Director from Amnesty International Aotearoa about the latest Ombudsman Review of Otago Corrections Facility and it highlights systemic issues in the treatment of inmates
Trishil speaks to Dr Nicki Jackson from Alcohol Health Watch about the Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill for our regular fornightly segment OurActionStation.
Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) will be holding public rallies today in five main centres to call on the Government to ensure Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand urgently provides the funding needed to properly value Aotearoa’s Primary Health Care nurses.
Joe spoke to Anne Daniels, The President of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, on the matter.
The Dementia Prevention Research Clinic (DPRC) study is a national, multi-disciplinary, longitudinal research study that aims to improve understanding of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia, in order to develop interventions that delay or prevent progression to dementia. This national cohort (266 participants enrolled to date) provides an opportunity to explore potential risk or protective factors within the ethnic diversity of the Aotearoa, New Zealand population. The numbers affected by dementia in Māori are not yet known, but the number of kaumātua 65 years or older increased by 41% between 2013 and 2018 suggesting a disproportionate increase in the prevalence of dementia for Māori is expected. Ensuring inclusion of Māori is therefore critical, not only to understand their specific risk for already identified modifiable risk factors for dementia, but also because we may identify novel risk factors, and unique protective factors that can be used to promote longer healthy lives.
Joe spoke to Dr Makarena Dudley, one of the co-authors of the study, on the matter.
Greenpeace is calling on the New Zealand government to keep pushing for a Global Ocean Treaty as international negotiations falter at the last minute. Despite making good headway, United Nations member states failed to come to a consensus late last week as the fifth, and latest round of negotiations for a global treaty to govern the high seas wrapped in New York.
With the talks suspended, world leaders will need to call an emergency meeting to reconvene and finalise a Treaty, which if done right would deliver ocean sanctuaries that can protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030.
Joe spoke to Ellie Hooper, the Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace Aotearoa, on the matter.
The Dementia Prevention Research Clinic (DPRC) study is a national, multi-disciplinary, longitudinal research study that aims to improve understanding of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia, in order to develop interventions that delay or prevent progression to dementia. This national cohort (266 participants enrolled to date) provides an opportunity to explore potential risk or protective factors within the ethnic diversity of the Aotearoa, New Zealand population. The numbers affected by dementia in Māori are not yet known, but the number of kaumātua 65 years or older increased by 41% between 2013 and 2018 suggesting a disproportionate increase in the prevalence of dementia for Māori is expected. Ensuring inclusion of Māori is therefore critical, not only to understand their specific risk for already identified modifiable risk factors for dementia, but also because we may identify novel risk factors, and unique protective factors that can be used to promote longer healthy lives.
Joe spoke to Dr Makarena Dudley, one of the co-authors of the study, on the matter.
Trishil speaks to Dr Nicki Jackson from Alcohol Health Watch about the Minimisation Bill.
Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) will be holding public rallies today in five main centres to call on the Government to ensure Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand urgently provides the funding needed to properly value Aotearoa’s Primary Health Care nurses.
Joe spoke to Anne Daniels, The President of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, on the matter.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Greenpeace about the UN Treaty to Protect Sea Life and how the UN is failing to reach an agreement, Anne Daniels from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation about the Primary Health Care rally happening today, Dr Makarena Dudley, a Dementia Researcher from the University of Auckland, about recruiting more Māori participants in their studies. Finally, Joe speaks to Lisa Woods, Campaign Director from Amnesty International Aotearoa about the latest Ombudsman Review of Otago Corrections Facility and it highlights systemic issues in the treatment of inmates
Trishil speaks to Dr Nicki Jackson from Alcohol Health Watch about the Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill for our regular fornightly segment OurActionStation.
Greenpeace is calling on the New Zealand government to keep pushing for a Global Ocean Treaty as international negotiations falter at the last minute. Despite making good headway, United Nations member states failed to come to a consensus late last week as the fifth, and latest round of negotiations for a global treaty to govern the high seas wrapped in New York.
With the talks suspended, world leaders will need to call an emergency meeting to reconvene and finalise a Treaty, which if done right would deliver ocean sanctuaries that can protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030.
Joe spoke to Ellie Hooper, the Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace Aotearoa, on the matter.
The Office of the Ombudsman has last week released its report on an unannounced inspection of Otago Corrections Facility from October 2020. Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand has highlighted serious concerns about ongoing human rights issues shown in this report.
Joe spoke to Lisa Woods, the Campaign Director at Amnesty International on the matter.
The Office of the Ombudsman has last week released its report on an unannounced inspection of Otago Corrections Facility from October 2020. Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand has highlighted serious concerns about ongoing human rights issues shown in this report.
Joe spoke to Lisa Woods, the Campaign Director at Amnesty International on the matter.
The Labour Party was one of many to criticise the National Parties policy announcements of minimising welfare for youth and focusing on pushing them into work.
However, the Auckland Action Against Poverty group has called out the government for their own actions of sanctioning those on the benefit.
They claim Labour has cut benefits of around 4000 people who aren't well, are injured or living with a disability in the last 5 years.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Brooke Stanley Pao from the organisation about their frustrations.
Liam and David are in the studio together at last on The Friday Wire! Today on the show:
Liam had a chat with city Councillor Pippa Coom about the mayoral election and the transport emissions reduction plan on City Counselling.
They also spoke with Auckland Action Poverty Groups’ Brooke Stanley Pao about sanctions placed on those receiving welfare help.
And finally they had a chat to Michele Lloyd from Stats NZ about heightened rates of acidity in New Zealand's water.
David spoke to Anna de Roo from animal charity SAFE regarding the proposal to redevelop the Manukau greyhound racing track.
He also talked to University of Auckland Lecturer Timothy Welch about the environmental impact of cruise ships.
NZ has seen a return of cruise ships for the first time in two years.
The tourism industry is happy to see the return, however, these vessels have a terrible impact on surrounding environments.
David spoke to University of Auckland lecturer Timothy Welch about the kinds of impacts cruise ships are having on surrounding environments
The Labour Party was one of many to criticise the National Parties policy announcements of minimising welfare for youth and focusing on pushing them into work.
However, the Auckland Action Against Poverty group has called out the government for their own actions of sanctioning those on the benefit.
They claim Labour has cut benefits of around 4000 people who aren't well, are injured or living with a disability in the last 5 years.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Brooke Stanley Pao from the organisation about their frustrations.
The lease for Manukau Greyhound Racing Track expires at the end of this year.
Auckland Council is currently taking submissions regarding a proposal of turning it into an athletics and track and field facility.
Animal charity SAFE says it supports the once in a lifetime opportunity to turn the facility into something every Aucklander can enjoy.
David spoke to Campaign Manager Anna de Roo regarding SAFE’s position on the proposal.
The lease for Manukau Greyhound Racing Track expires at the end of this year.
Auckland Council is currently taking submissions regarding a proposal of turning it into an athletics and track and field facility.
Animal charity SAFE says it supports the once in a lifetime opportunity to turn the facility into something every Aucklander can enjoy.
David spoke to Campaign Manager Anna de Roo regarding SAFE’s position on the proposal.
NZ has seen a return of cruise ships for the first time in two years.
The tourism industry is happy to see the return, however, these vessels have a terrible impact on surrounding environments.
David spoke to University of Auckland lecturer Timothy Welch about the kinds of impacts cruise ships are having on surrounding environments
Liam and David are in the studio together at last on The Friday Wire! Today on the show:
Liam had a chat with city Councillor Pippa Coom about the mayoral election and the transport emissions reduction plan on City Counselling.
They also spoke with Auckland Action Poverty Groups’ Brooke Stanley Pao about sanctions placed on those receiving welfare help.
And finally they had a chat to Michele Lloyd from Stats NZ about heightened rates of acidity in New Zealand's water.
David spoke to Anna de Roo from animal charity SAFE regarding the proposal to redevelop the Manukau greyhound racing track.
He also talked to University of Auckland Lecturer Timothy Welch about the environmental impact of cruise ships.
Today is national independence day for Ukraine, celebrating their separation from the Soviet Union- it’s also the 6 month mark for the ongoing conflict with Russia. Stella spoke with Andy Robinson from World Vision about the ramifications of the conflict for the innocent children caught in the crossfire. World Vision is working on multiple aspects of child wellbeing, and today Stella and Andy focused on education and mental health.
Kia ora, and welcome to the Thursday Wire! This week, Stella speaks to Andy Robinson from World Vision about the education and mental health of Ukrainian children. She also speaks to conservation scientist Professor James Russell from the University of Auckland about his recent work, that shows Aotearoa is one of the highest contributors to pest eradication worldwide!
Green Desk is back as always, Frances updates us on the week’s environmental news, this week speaking to Watercare about one of their largest projects. Finally, Tuva’a has his regular catch-up with Labour’s Andrew Little, who responds to comments made by Brooke Van Velden, from the ACT party, about funding usage for ICU beds.
Frances speaks with Shane Cunis from Watercare about their Central Interceptor project- which just might be the biggest wastewater infrastructure project in Aotearoa.
Today is national independence day for Ukraine, celebrating their separation from the Soviet Union- it’s also the 6 month mark for the ongoing conflict with Russia. Stella spoke with Andy Robinson from World Vision about the ramifications of the conflict for the innocent children caught in the crossfire. World Vision is working on multiple aspects of child wellbeing, and today Stella and Andy focused on education and mental health.
Frances speaks with Shane Cunis from Watercare about their Central Interceptor project- which just might be the biggest wastewater infrastructure project in Aotearoa.
This week Tuva’a chats with Labour’s Andrew Little about comments made by ACT’s Brooke Van Velden about ICU bed numbers, in bfm reporter Alex’s interview yesterday. They also talk about the outgoing speaker, Trevor Mallard's accomplishments in the role.
Kia ora, and welcome to the Thursday Wire! This week, Stella speaks to Andy Robinson from World Vision about the education and mental health of Ukrainian children. She also speaks to conservation scientist Professor James Russell from the University of Auckland about his recent work, that shows Aotearoa is one of the highest contributors to pest eradication worldwide!
Green Desk is back as always, Frances updates us on the week’s environmental news, this week speaking to Watercare about one of their largest projects. Finally, Tuva’a has his regular catch-up with Labour’s Andrew Little, who responds to comments made by Brooke Van Velden, from the ACT party, about funding usage for ICU beds.
This week Tuva’a chats with Labour’s Andrew Little about comments made by ACT’s Brooke Van Velden about ICU bed numbers, in bfm reporter Alex’s interview yesterday. They also talk about the outgoing speaker, Trevor Mallard's accomplishments in the role.
A recent study compiling international data has shown that Aotearoa is responsible for almost a quarter of international pest eradication on islands. Stella spoke to one of the contributors, University of Auckland’s Professor James Russell, a conservation biologist, about the nuances of the data.
A recent study compiling international data has shown that Aotearoa is responsible for almost a quarter of international pest eradication on islands. Stella spoke to one of the contributors, University of Auckland’s Professor James Russell, a conservation biologist, about the nuances of the data.
On this week's installation of Eurovision, Emilia spoke with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, Monkeypox and more.
This week on The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday!
Alex speaks to Brooke van Velden in his weekly chat with the ACT Party deputy leader.
Emilia chats with Teanau Tuiono from the Green Party about yesterday’s counter protest at Parliament.
She also chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, Monkeypox, and more.
Trishil chats about police advertising data and research analyst jobs exclusively for those on the spectrum with Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard who’s heading the program, and Dane Dougan from Autism NZ.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire! See you next week.
The New Zealand Police are opening the recruitment door to people who have valuable skills but cannot navigate traditional employment processes.
The police have opened up roles in their financial crimes department specifically to applicants with Autism as a part of their Neurodivergence Programme pilot.
To discuss the programme, Trishil spoke to Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard & Autism NZ's Dane Dougan.
People from across the country converged upon Parliament once again yesterday for a comparatively subdued protest by the Freedom and Rights Coalition led by Brian Tamaki.
However, Parliament grounds were not only full of people claiming high crimes against the government, it also attracted a significant turnout of counter-protestors. One of them was Teanau Tuiono from the Green Party, and Emilia chatted with him this morning.
Ahead of World Iron Awareness Week, a survey from an online quiz titled "Could you be low on iron?" has produced some worrying results. It shows a large number of New Zealanders are suffering from iron deficiency symptoms.
Emily spoke to the Head of Nutrition at Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Regina Wypych about the implications of the survey and how we can check our iron deficiency levels.
This week on Dear Science, Casper, Emily and AUT Professor Allan Blackman discussed the resurrection of the extict Tasmanian Tiger, a study clamining all water is unsafe to drink, as well as a simple formula with potential to destroy solvent chemicals.
The National Party has been claiming that the workforce shortages New Zealand is seeing is a result of mismanaged immigration policy.
This week, to address the workforce shortages, the government announced that skilled migrant workers will be able to be payed under the median wage, as well as a doubling of the working holiday scheme cap and an extension to currently held working holiday visas.
For Casper's weekly catchup with National MP Dr. Shane Reti, he asked him to explain what he thinks needs to happen regarding immigration policy, as well as how he views this latest announcement.
New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union members are taking industrial action in response to unsuccessful long-term negotiation with Fire and Emergency NZ.
The Union is concerned about ongoing staff shortages, low pay and a lack of early identification of those who experience trauma on the job, and staged a strike on Friday with more planned for this week.
To get a better sense of what’s driving these concerns, and how they might be addressed, Casper spoke to the President of the Auckland Branch of the Professional Firefighters Union, Terry Bird.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Dr Allan Blackman joined Casper and Emily in studio to talk science news for our Dear Science segment. Casper spoke to Dr Shane Reti from the National party, as he does each week, this time discussing immigration policy. He also had a chat with the President of the Auckland branch of the Professional Firefighters Union about the industrial action they’re taking
Emily spoke with the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Orthopaedics Association Andrea Pettett to discuss the contentious ethics of private medical scanning. She also spoke to the Head of Nutrition at Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Regina Wypych about a recent study revealing an alarming increase in iron deficiency symptoms
Allegations of unethical practices in private radiology are heightening tensions within the clinical community and prompting wider concerns about money being prioritised over patient care.
Doctors are going to the High Court to block surgeons from owning medical imaging services, arguing the practice is dangerous because they have a financial incentive to refer more patients.
Emily spoke with Chief Executive of the New Zealand Orthopaedics Association Andrea Pettett about the claims and how the High Court ruling might affect patients and clinicians.
DNA analysis has uncovered the evolutionary history of New Zealand's kokako, huia and tieke saddlebacks.
Researchers from the University of Otago explored the origins of the wattlebirds by analysing their DNA and found the birds' ancestors arrived in New Zealand about 20 million years ago.
Joe spoke to Dr Nic Rawlence, from the Paleogenetics Lab at The University of Otago, on the matter.
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand is calling on the New Zealand Government to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to at least 14 years old. This is one of the many changes needed to improve Aotearoa New Zealand’s youth justice system.
Lisa Woods, Campaigns Director for Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand, mentions, "When a child does something seriously wrong, it is often because they have been seriously let down by society. What we then risk is using the criminal justice system to respond to issues caused by, for example, trauma and a lack of health and mental health support. This means that instead of solving problems caused by a lack of resources and services, our current laws are funnelling children into a system that can trap them for the rest of their lives. This does irrevocable damage to the child, their whānau, and to the rest of society."
Joe spoke to Lisa Woods on the matter
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Lisa Woods, the Campaigns Director for Amnesty International about raising the age for criminal responsibility. Joe also speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the Paleogenetics Lab at The University of Otago about new research surrounding the evolution of the Wattlebird.
Trishil speaks to Professor Geoff Chase about his Research into AI driven emotional regulation training that will work to assist those with high-functioning autism with social blindness.
Finally, Isla and Stella look at Hormonal Birth Control and the Brain w/ Dr Rachel Sumner for this weeks Tomorrow's World.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
Attention, those with uteruses; if you’re taking a hormonal contraceptive pill, you’ll want to tune in to this. On this episode of Tomorrow's World. Stella and Isla speak to Dr Rachel Sumner from the University of Auckland about her research into hormonal birth control’s impacts on the brain, and the mind. They also include a quick explainer about how it works.
The MBIE has granted $1.1 million in funding to University of Canterbury researchers to develop a hyper-realistic virtual therapy avatar to help high-functioning people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to better recognise emotions and reduce ‘social blindness’.
University of Canterbury Engineering researchers Distinguished Professor Geoff Chase and Lecturer Dr Lui Holder-Pearson have been awarded $1.1 million in funding through a partnership between MBIE and Soul Machines, an AI company in Auckland.
Their project, titled ‘AI-driven Two-Way, Feedback Controlled Emotional Recognition Training for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder’ combines three key elements:
Hyper-realistic and responsive avatars from Soul Machines Digital DNA Studio able to show detailed emotions
Computer vision to read subject emotional state, reaction rates in integrated tasks, stress levels (via heartrate, etc.), focus, and attention, incorporating critical subject feedback
Programmed standard, accepted therapeutic methods (behind the avatar) to respond to measured subject behaviour/actions
These technologies enable a virtualised true two-way therapeutic session, where current emotion recognition software has no subject feedback (is only one-way).
Trishil spoke to Professor Geoff Chase about his research and it’s potential.
As access to international travel from New Zealand re-opens, conversations about human capital flight have become incredibly prevalent.
More colloquially titled “Brain Drain”, human capital flight refers to white collar workers leaving their home country for better opportunities overseas.
Conversations have recently touched on if New Zealand is receiving and adequate amount of migrants to stop our workforce from suffering.
First, Liam spoke to ACTs James McFarland, on why his party thinks Human Capital Flight is an issue and what needs to be done.
In popular discussion, the focus of human capital flight has largely been on the negative impacts new zealanders leaving the country has.
Kea New Zealand is organised around keeping New Zealand expats connected to their country.
Liam also had a chat to their global communications director, Kellie Addison, about their network and the benefits of New Zealanders travelling abroad.
Yesterday the Human Rights Commission launched an expansion of their Conversion Practices Support Services.
The pre-existing programme now includes a proces where victims of conversion therapy cna work with the HRC to recieve a formal apology or financial support.
To learn more, Liam spoke to the programmes manager, Andre Afamasaga about the changes and what they mean.
Yesterday the Human Rights Commission launched an expansion of their Conversion Practices Support Services.
The pre-existing programme now includes a proces where victims of conversion therapy cna work with the HRC to recieve a formal apology or financial support.
To learn more, Liam spoke to the programmes manager, Andre Afamasaga about the changes and what they mean.
As access to international travel from New Zealand re-opens, conversations about human capital flight have become incredibly prevalent.
More colloquially titled “Brain Drain”, human capital flight refers to white collar workers leaving their home country for better opportunities overseas.
Conversations have recently touched on if New Zealand is receiving and adequate amount of migrants to stop our workforce from suffering.
First, Liam spoke to ACTs James McFarland, on why his party thinks Human Capital Flight is an issue and what needs to be done.
In popular discussion, the focus of human capital flight has largely been on the negative impacts new zealanders leaving the country has.
Kea New Zealand is organised around keeping New Zealand expats connected to their country.
Liam also had a chat to their global communications director, Kellie Addison, about their network and the benefits of New Zealanders travelling abroad.
Yet another stacked show on this Fridays Wire:
Liam spoke to Shane Henderson on our regular city counselling segment about the Transporrt Emissions Reduction Pathway
Liam also had a chat about the Human Rights Commission about their new conversion practices support services with the programmes manager, Andre Afamasaga,
Liam also spoke to Kellie Addison from Kea New Zealand, as well as Act MP James McDowall, about human capital flight and where the debate of the brain drain is coming from.
David has has a chat with Victoria Chen from Victoria University of Wellington on linguistics locating the beginnings of the Austronesian expansion.
As well as Stephen Judd from Fact Aotearoa on candidates bringing conspiracy theories into local elections.
A linguistic study has found an origin of Austronesian language expansion across the Indo-Pacific region.
Researchers have found the indigenous people called the Amis [ah-miss] people from Eastern Taiwan are a close relative of Malayo-Polynesian people in the Austronesian language family.
David spoke to Victoria University lecturer Victoria Chen about the findings.
More and more, New Zealand has seen candidates enter local elections being informed by conspiracy theories.
Groups that have spread misinformation about vaccines and the pandemic are entering their local races across the country.
The concerns are worsened thanks to the impacts of the anti-mandate parliament protests that hit the beehive earlier this year.
David spoke to Stepehn Judd from FACT Aotearoa about those who are running and what it means for the country.
Yet another stacked show on this Fridays Wire:
Liam spoke to Shane Henderson on our regular city counselling segment about the Transporrt Emissions Reduction Pathway
Liam also had a chat about the Human Rights Commission about their new conversion practices support services with the programmes manager, Andre Afamasaga,
Liam also spoke to Kellie Addison from Kea New Zealand, as well as Act MP James McDowall, about human capital flight and where the debate of the brain drain is coming from.
David has has a chat with Victoria Chen from Victoria University of Wellington on linguistics locating the beginnings of the Austronesian expansion.
As well as Stephen Judd from Fact Aotearoa on candidates bringing conspiracy theories into local elections.
A linguistic study has found an origin of Austronesian language expansion across the Indo-Pacific region.
Researchers have found the indigenous people called the Amis [ah-miss] people from Eastern Taiwan are a close relative of Malayo-Polynesian people in the Austronesian language family.
David spoke to Victoria University lecturer Victoria Chen about the findings.
More and more, New Zealand has seen candidates enter local elections being informed by conspiracy theories.
Groups that have spread misinformation about vaccines and the pandemic are entering their local races across the country.
The concerns are worsened thanks to the impacts of the anti-mandate parliament protests that hit the beehive earlier this year.
David spoke to Stepehn Judd from FACT Aotearoa about those who are running and what it means for the country.
The Green Party is calling for pay parity for early childhood teachers. Stella spoke to the party’s education spokesperson Teanau Tuiono about the need for a change.
This morning Stella spoke to Associate Professor Carolyn Gates from Massey University, and Dr Mary Van Andel, the chief veterinary officer at the Ministry for Primary Industries, about foot and mouth disease.
This week on The Green Desk, Frances talks to Ellie Hooper about Greenpeace's call to back the strongest possible Global Ocean Treaty.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire! Today, Tuva’a has his regular catch-up with Labour’s Andrew Little, this week talking about security concerns with Tik Tok and a new cystic fibrosis medication. Green Desk is back as always, Frances updates us on the week’s environmental news.
Stella speaks to Associate Professor on veterinary epidemiology Carolyn Gates from Massey University about transmission mechanisms of foot and mouth disease. She also speaks to MPI’s chief veterinary officer Dr Mary Van Alden about what New Zealand’s plan is if the disease were to enter the country.
Stella speaks to the Green party’s spokesperson for education, Teanau Tuiono about the party’s calls for pay parity for early childhood teachers.
We finish the show with Stella chatting to a Research Assistant from the Manalagi Project, Allyssa Verner-Pula, about their work documenting the experiences of the LGBTQ+ Pasifika community in healthcare settings. AUSA provides a written comment about the current voting in student elections.
Tuva'a has his weekly catch-up with Labour's Andrew Little. This week they talk about Pharmac funding, and security concerns over Tik Tok.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments in a case that could decide whether polluting companies are breaching important duties to New Zealanders.
Sitting at the Environmental Court in Auckland, the Supreme Court will make a decision as to whether or not to strike out a claim against New Zealand’s 7 biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses by a Northland man who says they are breaching well-established common law principles by contributing to climate change.
Mike Smith is the climate spokesperson for the Iwi Chairs Forum, and is claiming that ongoing pollution by corporations such as Fonterra, Genesis and Z Energy has damaged his Whenua and sites of cultural and historical significance to him and his whānau.
To discuss the legal aspects of this case, as well as the role of tikanga Maori in the decision-making, Emilia Sullivan spoke to Geoff McLay from Victoria University Law School.
A long-lived atmospheric river is landing on New Zealand shores today, which NIWA says could lead to “well over a month’s worth of rain” this week, especially in parts of the South Island.
To get some more insight on what atmospheric rivers are and what impacts they can have, Emilia spoke to Tristan Meyers, a Meteorologist at NIWA.
This week on the wire for Rāapa Wednesday!
Alex speaks to Brooke van Velden in his weekly chat with the ACT Party deputy leader.
Emilia will be talking to Geoff McLay from Victoria University Law School about the Supreme Court hearing a case that could hold New Zealand’s biggest polluters accountable for the harm they cause.
Aneeka chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, the EU’s proposal on the Iran Nuclear deal, free period products in Scotland and more.
And finally, Emilia will also be chatting with Tristan Meyers from NIWA about the atmospheric rivers the country will be experiencing this week.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire this week!
On this week's installation of Eurovision, Aneeka chatted with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, EU’s proposal on the Iran Nuclear deal, free period products in Scotland and more!
A long-lived atmospheric river is landing on New Zealand shores today, which NIWA says could lead to “well over a month’s worth of rain” this week, especially in parts of the South Island.
To get some more insight on what atmospheric rivers are and what impacts they can have, Emilia spoke to Tristan Meyers, a Meteorologist at NIWA.
On this week's installation of Eurovision, Aneeka chatted with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, EU’s proposal on the Iran Nuclear deal, free period products in Scotland and more!
This week on the wire for Rāapa Wednesday!
Alex speaks to Brooke van Velden in his weekly chat with the ACT Party deputy leader.
Emilia will be talking to Geoff McLay from Victoria University Law School about the Supreme Court hearing a case that could hold New Zealand’s biggest polluters accountable for the harm they cause.
Aneeka chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, the EU’s proposal on the Iran Nuclear deal, free period products in Scotland and more.
And finally, Emilia will also be chatting with Tristan Meyers from NIWA about the atmospheric rivers the country will be experiencing this week.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire this week!
The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments in a case that could decide whether polluting companies are breaching important duties to New Zealanders.
Sitting at the Environmental Court in Auckland, the Supreme Court will make a decision as to whether or not to strike out a claim against New Zealand’s 7 biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses by a Northland man who says they are breaching well-established common law principles by contributing to climate change.
Mike Smith is the climate spokesperson for the Iwi Chairs Forum, and is claiming that ongoing pollution by corporations such as Fonterra, Genesis and Z Energy has damaged his Whenua and sites of cultural and historical significance to him and his whānau.
To discuss the legal aspects of this case, as well as the role of tikanga Maori in the decision-making, Emilia Sullivan spoke to Geoff McLay from Victoria University Law School.
This week on Dear Science Casper and Emily had a chat with Allan Blackman about music alleviating chronic pain, bacteria as a possible fuel for personal electronics, and how magnets might be able to produce oxygen in space.
This week on the Tuesday Wire Dr Allan Blackman joined Casper and Emily in studio to talk science news for our Dear Science segment. Casper spoke to Dr Shane Reti from the National party for their weekly catch-up, this time discussing the party’s current solutions for the housing crisis and zoning regulation.
Casper also had a chat with Vee Blackwood, the housing inquiry manager from the Human Rights Commission, talking about the HRC’s call to implement a rent freeze.
Emily spoke to Chief Executive of the New Zealand Bus and Coach Association Ben McFadgen about recent changes to the public transport systems, as well as spokesperson from Forest and Bird Linley Hargreaves regarding a recent bill to end new mines on conservation land.
Forest and Bird is calling for the government to support a new bill to protect public conservation land from future mining.
The conservation organisation says this is a chance for Labour to uphold its commitment to protect the climate and safeguard the biodiversity of NZ’s publicly owned conservation lands.
Emily had a chat to a spokesperson from Forest and Bird Lynley Hargreaves regarding the bill.
A couple of weeks ago National Party Housing Spokesperson Chris Bishop indicated at an Auckland meeting that the party is open to making changes to housing zoning laws.
To get a clearer picture of National’s current stance on what policies are needed to allieviate the housing crisis, with a particular focus on Auckland and the discourse around special character areas and intensification, Casper spoke to National MP Dr. Shane Reti.
Casper first asked what major ongoing issues with the housing market could be alleviated by policy and how high a priority it is right now.
The Human Rights Commission is calling for a rent freeze to be implemented as part of a proposal to alleviate cost of living pressure on New Zealanders.
The proposal intends to address high rental prices as well as a growing need for renting to be recognised as a permanent housing reality for a growing number of New Zealanders.
For more details on their proposal and why they believe it to be necessary Casper spoke to Vee Blackwood, the Human Rights Commission’s housing inquiry manager.
New legislation will see councils directly own and operate public transport services, a move which Transport Minister Michael Wood claims will alleviate worker shortages and give local authorities greater flexibility.
The changes will see the existing, long-running operating model be replaced with a Sustainable Public Transport Framework.
Emily spoke with New Zealand Bus and Coach Association Chief Executive Ben McFadgen about the changes.
This week on the Tuesday Wire Dr Allan Blackman joined Casper and Emily in studio to talk science news for our Dear Science segment. Casper spoke to Dr Shane Reti from the National party for their weekly catch-up, this time discussing the party’s current solutions for the housing crisis and zoning regulation.
Casper also had a chat with Vee Blackwood, the housing inquiry manager from the Human Rights Commission, talking about the HRC’s call to implement a rent freeze.
Emily spoke to Chief Executive of the New Zealand Bus and Coach Association Ben McFadgen about recent changes to the public transport systems, as well as spokesperson from Forest and Bird Linley Hargreaves regarding a recent bill to end new mines on conservation land.
This week on Dear Science Casper and Emily had a chat with Allan Blackman about music alleviating chronic pain, bacteria as a possible fuel for personal electronics, and how magnets might be able to produce oxygen in space.
Forest and Bird is calling for the government to support a new bill to protect public conservation land from future mining.
The conservation organisation says this is a chance for Labour to uphold its commitment to protect the climate and safeguard the biodiversity of NZ’s publicly owned conservation lands.
Emily had a chat to a spokesperson from Forest and Bird Lynley Hargreaves regarding the bill.
A couple of weeks ago National Party Housing Spokesperson Chris Bishop indicated at an Auckland meeting that the party is open to making changes to housing zoning laws.
To get a clearer picture of National’s current stance on what policies are needed to allieviate the housing crisis, with a particular focus on Auckland and the discourse around special character areas and intensification, Casper spoke to National MP Dr. Shane Reti.
Casper first asked what major ongoing issues with the housing market could be alleviated by policy and how high a priority it is right now.
The Human Rights Commission is calling for a rent freeze to be implemented as part of a proposal to alleviate cost of living pressure on New Zealanders.
The proposal intends to address high rental prices as well as a growing need for renting to be recognised as a permanent housing reality for a growing number of New Zealanders.
For more details on their proposal and why they believe it to be necessary Casper spoke to Vee Blackwood, the Human Rights Commission’s housing inquiry manager.
New legislation will see councils directly own and operate public transport services, a move which Transport Minister Michael Wood claims will alleviate worker shortages and give local authorities greater flexibility.
The changes will see the existing, long-running operating model be replaced with a Sustainable Public Transport Framework.
Emily spoke with New Zealand Bus and Coach Association Chief Executive Ben McFadgen about the changes.
Māori are currently 31% more likely to die from liver cancer than non-Māori with the same diagnosis, but covering the travel costs associated with liver cancer surgery could help close this disparity.
Researchers analysed the distance travelled by Māori and Pākehā patients to receive their first primary surgery for liver cancer and found that on average, Māori liver cancer patients travelled twice as far than their Pākehā counterparts.
Joe spoke to Jason Gurney, from the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, about how travel costs being are a barrier for Māori in need of liver cancer treatment.
New video footage of the interior of the vandalised St James Theatre has been released by Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick, showing fungi growing on damp floors, damaged electrical fittings and roof, as well as an exposure to the weather and rain, and foundation-eroding dampness.
Swarbrick has written an open letter calling for the government to match the Auckland Council's $15 million commitment to restoring the building. She says this decision can't be kicked down the road any more and that the revival of the theatre will secure Queen Streets' status as a buzzing destination that will provide space and a place for Auckland's creative community.
Built in 1928, St James Theatre once hosted many shows and concerts. St James Theatre is also regarded as a Category 1 Heritage building, meaning it is a historic places are of special or outstanding historical or cultural significance or value.
However, Building owner Steve Bielby says thieves and vandals had 'gutted' the once historic site.
Joe spoke to the owner of St James Theatre, Steve Bielby as well as Green Party MP for Auckland Central Chlöe Swarbrick, about why the revitalisation of St James Theatre is so significant to Auckland.
New video footage of the interior of the vandalised St James Theatre has been released by Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick, showing fungi growing on damp floors, damaged electrical fittings and roof, as well as an exposure to the weather and rain, and foundation-eroding dampness.
Swarbrick has written an open letter calling for the government to match the Auckland Council's $15 million commitment to restoring the building. She says this decision can't be kicked down the road any more and that the revival of the theatre will secure Queen Streets' status as a buzzing destination that will provide space and a place for Auckland's creative community.
Built in 1928, St James Theatre once hosted many shows and concerts. St James Theatre is also regarded as a Category 1 Heritage building, meaning it is a historic places are of special or outstanding historical or cultural significance or value.
However, Building owner Steve Bielby says thieves and vandals had 'gutted' the once historic site.
Joe spoke to the owner of St James Theatre, Steve Bielby as well as Green Party MP for Auckland Central Chlöe Swarbrick, about why the revitalisation of St James Theatre is so significant to Auckland.
In 1922, the tomb of the young king Tutankhamun was uncovered by Archaeologist Howard Carter, led by his patron George Herbert (5th Earl of Carnarvon), opening up widespread interest into Ancient Egypt civilization.
Since then, he has long been suspected of stealing it’s treasures before the tomb was officially opened. These claims have been hard to validify, but a newly discovered letter penned by renowned philologist Sir Alan Gardiner may hold the answer to the questions that have swelled up in the 100 years since the discovery of the tomb.
Gardiner’s letter was never published, but the letter details how Carter compensated his work translating the cave hieroglyphics with a ‘whm amulet’, which was historically used as an offering for the dead.
Despite being told by Carter that the amulet hadn’t originated from the tomb, confirmation came from the then-director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo Rex Engelbach after testing other finds transported to the museum.
To understand more about the controversy and history surrounding the tomb of Tutankhamun, and the surrounding context, I reached out to University of Auckland Professor Anthony Spalinger to discuss the news and more.
In 1922, the tomb of the young king Tutankhamun was uncovered by Archaeologist Howard Carter, led by his patron George Herbert (5th Earl of Carnarvon), opening up widespread interest into Ancient Egypt civilization.
Since then, he has long been suspected of stealing it’s treasures before the tomb was officially opened. These claims have been hard to validify, but a newly discovered letter penned by renowned philologist Sir Alan Gardiner may hold the answer to the questions that have swelled up in the 100 years since the discovery of the tomb.
Gardiner’s letter was never published, but the letter details how Carter compensated his work translating the cave hieroglyphics with a ‘whm amulet’, which was historically used as an offering for the dead.
Despite being told by Carter that the amulet hadn’t originated from the tomb, confirmation came from the then-director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo Rex Engelbach after testing other finds transported to the museum.
To understand more about the controversy and history surrounding the tomb of Tutankhamun, and the surrounding context, I reached out to University of Auckland Professor Anthony Spalinger to discuss the news and more.
On this week’s regular segment in collaboration with OurActionStation, we’re discussing the call from Coromandel Watchdog for a Moratorium on Mining Permit applications on public conservation land.
Despite the commitment placed by the Government in 2017 to stop issuing mining permits on conservation land, it has failed to implement the measure and continue to issue permits under the ‘stewardship land’ reasoning’.
Trishil spoke to the organiser of the petition Catherine Delahunty on this issue, discussing the issue with stewardship land, and the harms that mining has on flora and fauna.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Jason Gurney, from Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, about travel costs being a barrier for Māori in need of liver cancer treatment. He also chats to Steve Bielby, the owner of St James Theatre, and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick on the revitalisation of St James Theatre.
Trishil speaks to Catherine Delahunty from Coromandel Watchdog about her petition calling for a moratorium on mining permits for conservation land. He also speaks Anthony Spalinger from the Ancient History Department at the University of Auckland about the recently resurfaced letter from Sir Alan Gardiner confirming the tomb of Tutankhamun had been raided prior to it’s official unveiling.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
On this week’s regular segment in collaboration with OurActionStation, we’re discussing the call from Coromandel Watchdog for a Moratorium on Mining Permit applications on public conservation land.
Despite the commitment placed by the Government in 2017 to stop issuing mining permits on conservation land, it has failed to implement the measure and continue to issue permits under the ‘stewardship land’ reasoning’.
Trishil spoke to the organiser of the petition Catherine Delahunty on this issue, discussing the issue with stewardship land, and the harms that mining has on flora and fauna.
Māori are currently 31% more likely to die from liver cancer than non-Māori with the same diagnosis, but covering the travel costs associated with liver cancer surgery could help close this disparity.
Researchers analysed the distance travelled by Māori and Pākehā patients to receive their first primary surgery for liver cancer and found that on average, Māori liver cancer patients travelled twice as far than their Pākehā counterparts.
Joe spoke to Jason Gurney, from the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, about how travel costs being are a barrier for Māori in need of liver cancer treatment.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Jason Gurney, from Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, about travel costs being a barrier for Māori in need of liver cancer treatment. He also chats to Steve Bielby, the owner of St James Theatre, and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick on the revitalisation of St James Theatre.
Trishil speaks to Catherine Delahunty from Coromandel Watchdog about her petition calling for a moratorium on mining permits for conservation land. He also speaks Anthony Spalinger from the Ancient History Department at the University of Auckland about the recently resurfaced letter from Sir Alan Gardiner confirming the tomb of Tutankhamun had been raided prior to it’s official unveiling.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
A new inquiry has recently been opened by the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, asking for submissions on how to improve inter-regional rail in Aotearoa.
The committee is particularly trying to understand how best to implement sustainable practices, and how to revitalise trains between big cities.
This comes after months of campaigning by Save our Trains, an organisation set up after minter-regional rail was minimised and plans to shift the trains to tourist transporters.
To understand what the new inquiry means, Liam spoke to Paul Callister from Save our Trains.
It’s not breaking news that the Cost-of-Living has been messed up across the country.
However, new reports are showing the affects the financial difficulties are having on our physical and emotional health.
The Southern Cross's most recent Healthy Futures Report has shown direct links through several measures, such as people having difficulty sleeping, feeling more stressed, and having more difficulty affording health care.
To learn more Liam spoke to Chief Medical Officer of Southern Cross INsurance Arm Doctor Stephen Child.
Earlier this week saw a march in the Octagon of Otepoti Dunedin, advocating for the safety of the Crown Hotel
The music venue has been at risk due to plans for a housing developer to build a new residential area nearby, banning the Crown Hotel from making the noise it needs to.
To learn more, Liam spoke to bFM’s own Taylor McGregor, also from Save Our Venues, about the venue and the issues of the new development.
Earlier this week saw a march in the Octagon of Otepoti Dunedin, advocating for the safety of the Crown Hotel
The music venue has been at risk due to plans for a housing developer to build a new residential area nearby, banning the Crown Hotel from making the noise it needs to.
To learn more, Liam spoke to bFM’s own Taylor McGregor, also from Save Our Venues, about the venue and the issues of the new development.
A new inquiry has recently been opened by the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, asking for submissions on how to improve inter-regional rail in Aotearoa.
The committee is particularly trying to understand how best to implement sustainable practices, and how to revitalise trains between big cities.
This comes after months of campaigning by Save our Trains, an organisation set up after minter-regional rail was minimised and plans to shift the trains to tourist transporters.
To understand what the new inquiry means, Liam spoke to Paul Callister from Save our Trains.
It’s not breaking news that the Cost-of-Living has been messed up across the country.
However, new reports are showing the affects the financial difficulties are having on our physical and emotional health.
The Southern Cross's most recent Healthy Futures Report has shown direct links through several measures, such as people having difficulty sleeping, feeling more stressed, and having more difficulty affording health care.
To learn more Liam spoke to Chief Medical Officer of Southern Cross INsurance Arm Doctor Stephen Child.
The Green Party is calling for bottom trawling on seamounts to stop, following a 'white paper' from Sealord which the party calls greenwashing. Stella spoke to the party’s ocean and fisheries spokesperson, Eugenie Sage, on the matter.
A study from the University of Auckland, led by audiologist Grant Searchfield, has had encouraging results regarding mitigating the condition. Stella spoke to Associate Professor Searchfield about the findings.
Welcome to The Thursday Wire! Today, Stella speaks to Vice President of the Auckland Branch, Genna Hawkins Boulton from Thursdays in Black about their open letter to the Department of Corrections. She also speaks to Eugenie Sage from The Green Party on their call to ban bottom trawling on seamounts. Finally, Stella speaks to Associate Professor Grant Searchfield on his recently published Tinnitus research.
Tuva’a has his weekly catch up with Andrew Little, and Frances brings us Greendesk, speaking with Predator Free Rakiura's Project Director, Campbell Leckie. And that's it for The Thursday Wire.
Thursdays In Black is a student-led grassroots campaign, working towards a world without rape and sexual violence. Last week they published an open letter in response to a decision by the Department of Corrections (which you can find on @thursdaysinblackuoa on Instagram), that allowed a convicted rapist on home detention to attend classes on campus at the University of Auckland, without consultation with the university. Stella spoke to Vice President of the Auckland Branch, Genna Hawkins Boulton, about the letter.
On this week's episode of The Wire for Raapa, Wednesday!
Alex speaks to Brooke van Velden in his weekly chat with the ACT Party deputy leader.
Emilia talks to disinformation expert Byron Clark about the media’s role in the Parliament Occupation earlier this year.
Emilia chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, Greece’s spying scandal and Dominos pizza leaving the Italian market.
And she also chats to Toni Bruce from the University of Auckland about the representation of women in sports media.
And Joe speaks with Dr Dalila Gharbaoui from the University of Canterbury about communities in the Pacific who have been impacted by climate change needing the option to stay with dignity.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire! We'll see you next week.
While it’s true that some people in the Pacific are choosing to, or are forced, to leave their homes and land because of climate change, others are staying, sez Dr Dalila Gharbaoui, a researcher at the University of Canterbury.
Dr Gharbaoui’s research looks at understanding the whole picture and raising awareness on the impacts of climate change, as well as what we need to do for the future survival of our planet.
Joe spoke with Dr Gharbaoui about her work, looking at the neglected category of people that are either “trapped” or not willing to move to adapt to climate change in the Pacific.
On this week's installation of Eurovision, Emilia Sullivan chatted with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, Domino’s Pizza leaving the Italian market, and more.
The Commonwealth Games wrapped up earlier this week, boasting the largest women’s sports programme in the competition's history. But with this expanded roster of sports for women to compete in, how can the sports media get their representations of female athletes correct?
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Toni Bruce, a Professor of Sociology of Sport and Sports Media at the University of Auckland.
Emily spoke with Co-Director of The University Of Auckland’s centre for Asian and ethnic Minority health research Dr. Roshini Peiris-John about the challenges faced by Asian New Zealanders in accessing health services.
To discuss welfare policy for rangatahi on a wider level, in response to not just the National party’s recently announced plan but welfare proposals from across the political spectrum, Casper spoke with Zoe Hawke from E Tipu E Rea.
Over the weekend the National party announced their latest policy plan to shift young people off of the jobseeker’s benefit.
The policy includes the provision of dedicated job coaches to beneficiaries, a thousand-dollar bonus for young jobseekers who enter into and stay in work for a full year, as well as potential sanctions for those who fail to follow their prescribed plan.
For Casper'[s weekly chat with National party MP Dr. Shane Reti, he asked him about the policy, how it proposes to help young beneficiaries and how exactly it might function.
This week on the Tuesday Wire Casper spoke to Dr. Shane Reti from the National party and Zoe Hawke from E Tipu E Rea about Welfare policy the National party’s young jobseeker plan.
Emily spoke to Dr. Roshini Peiris-John from the University of Auckland about the challenges faced by Asian New Zealanders in accessing health services.
As well as Massey University marine biologist Dr Karen Stockin about the link between climate change and the movement of whales.
A new study shows that rising sea temperatures are pushing sperm and blue whales into Southern waters.
The research, which is the collaborative effort of four universities, including The University of Canterbury and Massey university, suggests impacts on ecosystems and tourism could be significant.
Emily spoke with Massey University marine ecologist and research co-lead Dr Karen Stockin.
Barbie has released a series of dolls which honours historical and contemporary heroines, such as conservation activist and animal behaviour expert Jane Goodall, aviator Amelia Earhart, NASA mathematician and physicist Katherine Johnson and artist and political activist Frida Kahlo. However, can this be seen as the appropriation of heroic women of substance as plastic Barbies? A brand synonymous with the objectification of women.
Joe spoke to Katie Pickles, a Professor of History from the Univeristy of Canterbury, about Barbie’s ‘inspiring women’ series and how this could be an Antithesis of Feminism given the company’s controversial representation of women.
An analysis of ten years of data has found low English literacy rates in Pasifika students are a key predictor of exclusion from school. The findings of this study highlighted the importance of literacy on educational outcomes and the possibility that greater investment in support for Pasifika students in order to end persisent disparities for students.
Joe spoke to Stephen Agnew, a Senior Lecturer of Economics at the University of Canterbury, on the matter.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Steven Agnew, a senior Lecturer from the University of Canterbury about ending persistent disparities for Pasifika students in regards to literacy skills. He also speaks to Katie Pickles, a Professor of History from the Univeristy of Canterbury, about Jane Goodall joining Barbie’s ‘inspiring women’ series and how this ties in with Barbie being an antithesis of feminism given the company’s controversial representation of women.
Liam will be chats to Michelle Johnstone from the Amalgamated Workers Union about dangerous housing conditions for migrant workers, as well as Rober Patman from the University of Otago about the United States Senate passing a major democrat climate and health package.
Tomorrow’s World is back! Isla and Stella speak to Keoni Mahelona from Te Pūnaha Matatini about using machine learning to revitalise Te Reo Māori.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
New reports show migrant horticulture workers are enduring dire housing conditions, seeing upwards of six men a week in a single motel room that are each charged 150 a week. The accommodation has been detrimental to the workers physical health, with one worker reporting his illness wasn’t taken seriously unless it required hospitalisation. The Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner has recently investigated the conditions, calling it blatant economic exploitation.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Michelle Johnstone from the Amalgamated Workers Union about the conditions.
Democrats in the United States have passed their long standing economic package through the senate this morning. The seven hundred and forty billion dollar package will fund efforts to curb climate change, provide reforms to health systems, and raise taxes on major corporations. This package, however, is a far cry from the initial three trillion dollar domestic fund President Joe Biden envisioned when he first came into office due to several notable compromises.
Liam spoke to professor Robert Patman from the University of Otago about the fund.
Rejoice! While fuel prices have yet to return to pre 2022 levels, it has freefallen down to an average of $2.70 a litre at the pumps in Auckland.
For example, yesterday afternoon saw prices fluctuate across the country with Waitomo on Tinakori Road in Wellington charging $2.59 a litre; Caltex on Newton Road in Auckland charging $2.65; and in Christchurch, Waitomo on Fitzgerald Avenue charging $2.47.
Further drops are expected on the horizon, in part due to the crude oil stock price falling from 110USD to around 96 USD over the past week. Another factor could be the fuel tax excise, which has been extended to January.
To learn more, Trishil spoke to Economics Professor Basil Sharp about the trends and contributing factors to the fall in prices.
Welcome to the Friday Wire! This week on the show…
David speaks to Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono talking about Restoring the West Samoa Citizenship Removed By Citizenship Act 1982 Bill
Trishil speaks to Shane Henderson for our regular City Counselling segment discussing the Planning Committee meeting on housing and a pay rise for Auckland bus drivers to address staff shortage
David also speaks to Adam Currie, a protest organiser speaking on the Greenwash lecture protests
Trishil also speaks to Professor Basil Sharpe on the falling fuel prices observed across the country this week
Protesters disrupted a Z energy lecture yesterday, hosted by Auckland University. They accused the event, entitled “transition to a low-carbon future”, of greenwashing, and the university of giving a platform to one of New Zealand’s biggest carbon producers.
David spoke with protest organiser Adam Currie about what happened.
Teanau Tuiono’s bill launched today would strike an anti-Pacific racist law from the country’s books.
The Restoring Citizenship Removed By Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill would restore the right to citizenship for people from Western Samoa who were born between 1924 and 1949, as had been promised to them.
David spoke with Teanau Tuiono about the bill.
Auckland Council's recent planning committee meeting took place last night.
The focus was on mass housing reforms, which could see rates of housing re-intensification rise across Tamaki Makaurau.
To learn more about the decisions made, Trishil took over the segment from Liam this week and spoke with councillor Shane Henderson on our regular City Counselling segment. The conversation touched on the pay rise for bus drivers in Auckland in a measure to combat staff shortages.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire! This week on the show…
Tuva’a has his weekly catch up with Andrew Little. Stella speaks to the head writer of Shortland Street, Jessica Joy Wood, about Shortland Street’s creative involvement with the campaign to recruit nurses.
Frances brings us Greendesk, speaking with Gabrielle Feather, a PhD student at the University of Tasmania about climate anxiety.
Stella speaks to Dr Nick Cradock-Henry from Manaaki Whenua about the government’s National Adaptation Plan. Stella speaks to Joe Rich, chief executive of the Burnett Foundation, about their call to the government for vulnerable populations to be vaccinated against monkeypox.
The government released our first National Adaptation Plan yesterday, which details how kiwis could respond to climate change. Stella spoke to Dr Nick Cradock-Henry, Lead Scientist of social and ecological resilience at manaaki Whenua, about the NAP.
New Zealand Sexual Health Services, The Burnett Foundation, and Peter Saxton from the University of Auckland submitted a letter to the government yesterday, urging them to vaccinate vulnerable against monkeypox communities now. Stella spoke to Joe Rich, chief executive of the Burnett Foundation, about the content of the letter.
This week on the Tuesday Wire Casper and Emily were joined in studio by Allan Blackman for Dear Science.
Emily had a chat with New Zealand Nurses Organisation President Anne Daniels about the government’s latest package to reduce health worker shortages.
Casper spoke to Ann-Marie Johnson from Tourism Industry Aotearoa about the borders fully re-opening to visitors yesterday.
And Emily discussed the importance of revitalising Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa with Chair of the Maori Language Commission Rawinia Higgins.
Yesterday, Minister of Health Andrew Little proposed a suite of initiatives to help combat health worker shortages and ease pressure on the New Zealand health system.
Emily spoke with New Zealand Nurses Organisation President Anne Daniels about the measures and how they might impact health care workers.
This week on Dear Science Allan spoke to Casper and Emily about allegations of fabricated alzheimers research, the 'wet bulb' measurement of humidity, and chemical reactions that might have played into the origin of life.
Yesterday marked 35 years since Te Reo Māori was made an official language in Aotearoa.
Emily explored New Zealand's history of Te Reo oppression and revitalisation with Chief Maori Language Commissioner Professor Rawinia Higgins.
The New Zealand border opened to all overseas visitors yesterday, after an extended closer due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Tourism industry experts have welcomed the re-opening of New Zealand’s border, but are not expecting an largue immediate influx of visitors.
Casper spoke to the Tourism Industry Aotearoa communications manager Anne-Marie Johnson about the border re-opening, what it means for the tourism industry and what challenges might arise from here
He first asked how much of an increase to visitors we are likely to see presently.
Forest & Bird appealed resource consents granted to Stevenson Mining in 2017, for a new proposed opencast coal mine at Te Kuha on the West Coast of the South Island.
The Environment Court hearing begins in Christchurch on Monday 1 August and is expected to run for two weeks. Respondents to Forest & Bird’s case are the West Coast Regional Council, the Buller District Council, and Stevenson Mining Limited.
Trishil spoke to Nicky Snoyink from Forest and Bird about the case, hoping to learn more about Te Kuha and their efforts to block the construction of a new mine and it’s potential damage to the ecosystem.
On this week’s regular segment in collaboration with OurActionStation, we’re discussing consent. And how it should be mandatory to learn about in school.
Trishil spoke to the organiser of the petition Genna Hawkins-Boulton about why consent education is needed, why it should be mandatory, and how it can be taken in multiple perspectives.
Joe speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence, from the Paeleogenetics Lab at the University of Otago, about how deer may have had something to do with the extinction of moa and how this ties in with making Stewart Island Predator Free.
Russia's foreign ministry has slapped New Zealand journalists, officials and an academic with sanctions for supporting what it called the country's "Russophobic agenda." Thirty two individuals have been added to their no fly list, bumping the total to 153.
The sole academic that got slapped with sanctions, was Politics and International Relations Professor Stephen Hoadley. Trishil spoke with Professor Stephen Hoadley on the matter, wanting to gain his perspective on the ban.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Executive Officer Jane Cartwright from the New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance and Paediatric Society neonatal specialist Nicola Austin about World Breastfeeding Week and what it means to Step Up for Breastfeeding. Joe also spoke to Dr Nic Rawlence, from the Paeleogenetics Lab at the University of Otago, about how deer may have had something to do with the extinction of moa, and how this ties in with making Stewart Island Predator Free.
Trishil speaks to Genna Hawkins-Boulton about the need to have compulsory consent education in schools - part of OurActionStation. He also chats with Professor Stephen Hoadley about a move made by Russia to ban 32 prominent New Zealand figures over ‘Russophobia’. Finally he speaks with Nicky Snoyink from Forest and Bird on their appeal against the consent granted to Stevenson Mining heading to the environmental court.
That's us for the Monday Wire!
New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance, the NZ College of Midwives and the Paediatric Society of New Zealand have joined forces to remind New Zealanders that successful breastfeeding involves the whole whānau.
World Breastfeeding Week runs from 1-7 August, and aims to highlight the huge benefits that breastfeeding can bring to both the health and welfare of babies, as well as a wider impact on maternal health, focusing on good nutrition, poverty reduction, sustainability and food security.
Joe spoke with Executive Officer of the New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance Jane Cartwright and Paediatric Society Neonatal Specialist Nicola Austin about what it means to Step Up for Breastfeeding.
On today's episode of Strangest Things- Is the Loch Ness Monster plausible?
Historically, sceptics say no - the most similar being to the cryptid is the plesiosaur dinosaur who has never been found in freshwater circumstances like Loch Ness.
That was, until a group of British scientists discovered plesiosaur fossils in a moroccan river system.
Are any doubts of the Loch Ness Monster's existence now thwarted? Probably not, but Liam spoke to David Martill from the University of Portsmouth anyway.
After long and hard efforts to implement predator eradication tactics. Predator Free Wellington has seen some major results.
Bird rates have risen dramatically, up by fifty one percent across the Miramar peninsula.
The organisation has been celebrating this strongly, so Liam has spoken to their own James Wilcocks about the new results.
In the aftermath of the US supreme court overturning Roe v. Wade, the United States House of Representatives has been passing several bills in efforts to protect certain rights.
These include protecting same-sex marriage, interracial marriage, and contraception.
With the US House, the US Senate, the supreme court and the president all seeming to have different levels of power, it can be hard to understand the different levels of authority in the leadership.
This prompted Liam to talk to UoA professor Maria Armoudian about the system and the recent bills the house have been passing.
Tāmaki Makaurau's local elections are drawing closer! Stella spoke to Principal Policy Advisor Dr Mike Reid from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) about the rules and regulations of campaigning, as well as how to ensure the needs of a community are appropriately translated into policy.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire with Stella! Today, Frances continues Greendesk, speaking with Jamie Hoare of Nocar Cargo. David speaks to the Honourable Jan Logie from the Green Party about the second reading of the Oranga Tamariki oversight bill. Stella speaks to Dr Wendy Choo about the execution of four prominent democracy activists in Myanmar, and Dr Mike Reid from Local Government New Zealand about the rules of a local election campaign.
Is "one man's terrorist another man's freedom fighter"? Scholars debate the phrase, but it has played out in real time, as democracy activists have been executed by the state in Myanmar, accused of conspiring to commit terror acts. Stella spoke to Dr Wendy Choo, (a teaching fellow at the University of Auckland in the school of education) on the events in Myanmar. She holds a masters in international relations and her research interests include Myanmar.
New Zealand is ‘grossly underprepared’ if we were to find ourselves facing a fentanyl crisis as life-saving overdose reversal medication continues to be out of reach.
Naloxone is one of the best tools available to treat opioid overdoses, and is available in New Zealand in two forms: via a nasal spray, or in an injectable form. However, only the nasal spray is available over the counter, and is $92 for a pack of two.
Experts say opioid overdoses already claim at least 40 lives a year in this country, and there is a risk Aotearoa could face an opioid crisis like the ones being experienced in North America and Europe if adulterated drugs continue to circulate in the New Zealand drug market.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Sarah Helm, Chief Executive of the NZ Drug Foundation.
This week on the Wire for Rāapa Wednesday!
Aneeka chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, as well as the upcoming elections in Italy and England.
Alex speaks to ACT Party deputy leader Brooke van Velden about the new Smokefree Amendment Bill and petition on Multiple Sclerosis handed to Parliament this week
Emilia speaks to Dr Jeanette Rapson from Massey University about her research to get infants to eat more vegetables
And Emilia will also be speaking to Sarah Helm from the Drug Foundation about their calls to the government to make Naloxone more widely available to reduce fentanyl overdoses.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire!
On this week's installation of Eurovision, Aneeka chats with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, as well as the upcoming Italian and British elections.
New research shows providing vegetables as an infant’s first food is an effective strategy for improving intake and may help children to develop a preference for vegetables.
The study by Massey University Human Nutrition PhD student Dr Jeanette Rapson suggests providing vegetables as first foods increased a baby’s intake of vegetables at nine months of age.
The results of this trial suggest that the start of complementary feeding is an ideal time to introduce vegetables as a first food since infants are willing to try new foods, even those with more bitter tastes such as green vegetables.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Dr Jeanette Rapson.
A Water Safety New Zealand report has revealed ninety people died by drowning just last year, the worst year for drowning fatalities since 2011.
Emily chatted with Water Safety New Zealand’s Chief executive Daniel Gerrard about the report’s findings and risk factors associated with drownings in Aotearoa.
This week on the Tuesday Wire Casper and Emily were joined remotely by Marcus Jones who caught them up on the latest science news. Casper had his weekly chat with the National Party’s Dr. Shane Reti, talking this week about the elective surgery waiting list.
Casper also spoke to Len Cook, the former government statistician, about the dangers of a proposed Data and Statistics bill.
Emily spoke with Jason Young from the New Zealand China Resarch Institute about New Zealand’s relationship with China- past, present and future. She also chatted with Water Safety New Zealand’s Chief executive Daniel Gerrard about their new report on drownings in Aotearoa
For this week's episode of Dear Science Marcus Jones joined Casper and Emily over the phone to discuss prior Omicron infections protecting against BA.4 and BA.5 variants, Ear fossils revealing the origin of warm-blooded mammals and how cleaner air can contribute to global warming.
The waiting list for elective surgeries has skyrocketed in the last year, with many experts pointing towards ongoing workforce shortages as the cause.
Thousands of people on the waiting list are in intense, ongoing pain, requiring essential operations such as hip or knee replacements.
For Casper's weekly catchup with the National party’s Dr. Shane Reti, they discussed the causes of the growing waiting list and the National party’s proposed solutions to the problem.
New Zealand’s close yet complicated relationship with China has been the subject of lively political and public debate for many years.
Fifty years ago, New Zealand began diplomatic ties and in 2008 we were the first country to secure a Free Trade Agreement with China.
Emily spoke with Jason Young, the director of the New Zealand China Resarch Institute about New Zealand’s evolving relationship with China.
The proposed government Data and Statistics bill has been criticised for its potential to threaten the political independence of the role of the government statistician.
The reforms would allow the government statistician to defer powers at will to other agencies, allowing for wider data collection.
To get a sense of why experts are wary of such changes, Casper spoke to one of the most prominent critics of the bill, former government statistician Len Cook.
Palaeontologists digging near Saint Bathans in Central Otago have discovered a fossil that probably belonged to the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest known swan species. The Bannockburn Swan lived between 16 and 19 million years ago on Lake Manuherikia, a huge lake covering most of modern Central Otago.
Joe spoke to Paul Scofield, a Senior Curator of Natural History and Adjunct Professor in Palaeontology in the Geology Department at the University of Canterbury, about the discovery.
James Shaw was ejected from his role as Green Party co-leader on Saturday following a leadership vote during the Green Party annual general meeting.
The decision came down by a minority vote, with 30% of the party choosing to vote against him. Thirty-two out of 107 delegates voted at the party's online annual general meeting more than the 25 percent threshold necessary under the Greens' rules.
Marama Davidson is to remain the sole leader during this time. At this stage, prospective candidates will have a week to put their name forward, followed by 4 weeks of voting. James Shaw has an opportunity to put his name back into the ballot, and if he is the only candidate, he will need to regain the support of 75% of the party.
James Shaw has confirmed his bid to contest the co-leadership following his ousting, after consultation with party members, and family.
I spoke to Professor Lara Greaves about James Shaw’s ousting as Green Party co-leader, and whether there could be next steps.
Ukraine and Russia have agreed on a deal that would reopen blocked Black Sea routes for grain exports.
The major diplomatic breakthrough aims to ease the world shortage of Ukrainian grain sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has left millions at risk of hunger.
Trishil Dahya spoke with Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations Stephen Hoadley on the matter, about his perspective on the deal.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina Monday!
Joe speaks to Dr Michele Bannister, a Senior Lecturer from the University of Canterbury about scientists seeking meteorite footage. He also chats to Paul Scofield, a Senior Curator of Natural History and Adjunct Professor in Palaeontology in the Geology Department at the University of Canterbury about the ancient waterfowl recently found at St Bathans in Central Otago.
Trishil speaks to Professor Lara Greaves about the Green Party Leadership Vote and Professor Stephen Hoadley about the Grain Crisis in Ukraine and Russia’s disinformation campaign against the West on the matter.
Isla and Stella discuss how Mātauranga Māori can aid science in the management of kauri dieback. They talk with Dr Amanda Black and Dr Nick Waipara about the cultural significance of kauri and the scope of biosecurity in Aotearoa.
That's us for this weeks Monday Wire!
On this episode of Tomorrow's World Isla and Stella discuss how matauranga māori can aid science in the management of kauri dieback. They talk with Dr Amanda Black and Dr Nick Waipara about the cultural significance of kauri and the scope of biosecurity in Aotearoa.
A meteor’s sonic boom was heard across South Canterbury at around 8:00pm on Thursday night. It didn’t take long for reports to come through on social media by people from across the South Island. The arrival was caught by at least four specialised meteorite detection cameras, as well as on CCTV and by at least one lucky astrophotographer.
This is New Zealand’s second meteorite this month. On July 7th, a meteor crashed near Wellington during the day with a force equivalent to 1,800 tonnes of TNT, creating a sonic boom heard across New Zealand. Two weeks on, Canterbury experienced its own meteor strike.
Joe spoke to Dr Michele Bannister, a Senior Lecturer from the University of Canterbury, on the matter
The Royal Commission of Inquiries case into Abuse in Care of the disabled, deaf folks, and people who suffered mental distress has recently concluded.
This has revealed some horrific details found in health institutions, with patiests undergoing mental, physical, and sexual abuse.
There’ve also been reports of undertrained staff who consistently have mistreated those who were most vulnerable.
To learn more, Liam spoke to CCS Disability Actions Debbie Ward about the report, first asking about what exactly the abuse in care inquiry is.
Earlier this week, Blind Low Vision came out in need of volunteers to raise guide dogs.
At the time of their plea, there were still several dogs in need of homes to help support vision impared folks in the future.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Blind Low Visions Rochelle Corrigan.
Italian politics has been in an immense state of chaos over the past week, as Prime Minister Mario Draghi has successfully resigned after having his former attempt rejected.
This has come as tensions across political lines within the coalition government have reached their breaking point.
Despite the PM receiving a vote of confidence, three other major political parties in the cabinet refused to vote.
Liam spoke to Victoria University of Wellington's Giacomo Lichtner about the state of affairs across Italy, first asking about where this divide in the cabinet came from.
It's Liam's inaugural Friday Wire hosting! Woo! Today on the show:
Liam spoke to councillor Shane Henderson about public transport cancellations and a new tool for tsunami evacuation on our regular City Counselling segment.
As well as Giacomo Lichtner from Victoria University of Wellington about the current state of politics in Italy.
They also had a chat with CCS Disability Action’s Debbir Ward about the Abuse in Care inquiry,
And finally spoke with Rochelle Corrigan from Blind Low Vision about the need for volunteers to raise guide-dogs to be.
Marcus Jones joins Aneeka and Christina in the studio for Dear Science to discuss the latest science news.
Aneeka has her weekly catch-up with the National Party’s Dr Shane Reti.
Christina speaks to Associate Professor Leah Watkins from the University of Otago about junk food marketing directed at children.
And finally, Jack interviews Stephen Weddell from the University of Canterbury about his work tracking lunar spacecraft with NASA.
This week, News and Editorial Director Aneeka Moheed spoke to the National Party's Dr Shane Reti about National's campaign to fast-track midwives into the country and recent polls showing the majority of the country are in favour of drug law reform.
Marcus Jones joins Aneeka and Christina in the studio for Dear Science to discuss the latest science news.
New polling shows most New Zealanders support changing the country's drug laws to remove criminal penalties and instead offer education, treatment, and other health-based approaches.
To hear more about the research and what it could mean for New Zealand’s drug laws in the future, Emilia Sullivan spoke to Sarah Helm, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Drug Foundation
Could flies really be the answer to all our problems? In this week's installment of Tomorrow's World, Stella Huggins talks with entomologist Neil Birrel who created the startup Hexacycle, which aims to convert organic waste into a source of sustainable protein and oil to help feed an increasingly hungry world.
This piece contains themes of rape and sexual assault.
On Saturday, the US Supreme Court released its opinion in a case called Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, in which the Court held that the Constitution of the United States does not confer any right to abortion, thus overruling the long-standing Roe v. Wade. The United States now joins Poland, El Salvador, and Nicaragua in recent reversals of abortion rights.
Emilia Sullivan spoke with Ella Shepherd, spokesperson for ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa.
This week on The Wire for Rāhina, Monday the 27th of June.
Emilia is hosting for the first time! She reports on the overturning of Roe v Wade, and speaks to Ella Shepherd from ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa about what this means for Americans, and what it could mean in New Zealand.
She also talks to Sarah Helm, Chief Executive of the NZ Drug Foundation about new research showing that New Zealanders support a health-based approach to drug laws, and we also chat about the alert sent out last night that fentanyl has been detected in drugs circulating in the Wairarapa.
Trishil speaks to Jo Spratt from Oxfam about the failure of G7 nations to adequately distribute vaccines to lower-income countries.
And in this week's installment of Tomorrow's World, Stella Huggins talks with entomologist Neil Birrel who created the startup Hexacycle, which aims to convert organic waste into a source of sustainable protein and oil to help feed an increasingly hungry world.
That's us for the Monday Wire! See you next week.
A New report released by Oxfam has revealed that less than 49% of the expected 2.1 billion vaccine donations intended for poorer countries have been delievered and administered.
With the systemic issues surrounding the distribution of vaccines, Trishil spoke with Oxfam Interim Executive Director Jo Spratt on the matter, covering the role of G7 nations, the major pharmaceuticals, and even how well New Zealand has kept to it's pledge supporting the Pacific.
Joe had the privilege of having a conversation with Dr Nic Rawlence from the Palaeongenetics Lab at the University of Otago about how the New Zealand Grayling went extinct and the Mysterious Adzebill. Two long lost species which used to roam Aotearoa.
An independent Māori-led research team has been awarded $1.5M by the Ministry of Health and Health Research Council of New Zealand to track the implementation and progress of the government’s Whakamaua Māori Health Action Plan 2020–2025.
In addition to the Ministry of Health’s internal evaluation of the plan, the research team’s assessment will directly inform implementation, progress, and direction of Whakamaua from now through to 2025, and identify gaps that need to be filled along the way.
Joe spoke to one of the project’s co-lead researchers, Dr Lis Ellison-Loschmann, on the matter
One potential solution for asthma lies in digital technologies that can reduce the risks associated with not taking medication as prescribed. These technologies include text message reminders, web-based apps, interactive voice response systems and smart inhalers.
Joe spoke to Dr Amy Chan, a Senior Clinical Research Fellow for the School of Pharmacy at the University of Auckland, on the matter.
This week on The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!
Tuva’a speaks about Labour Party’s Andrew Little and whether or not the health system is in crisis or not.
The Green Desk is back! Frances brings us the latest on Green related issues. This week she speaks to Professor Dan Tompkins, the Science Director for Predator Free 2050.
Joe speaks to Nic Rawlence from the Palaeongenetics Lab at the University of Otago about how the New Zealand Grayling went extinct and the Mysterious Adzebill. He’ll also be speaking to Amy Chan from the University of Auckland about digital tech helping with asthma medication. Finally, he speaks talks to Dr Lis Ellison-Loschmann from the health research council about addressing key Maori health policies.
That's us for The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!
Aneeka takes over Eurovision from Frances this week, speaking to European correspondant Cameron Mulgan. They cover an update on the war in Ukraine, the French election, and more.
Aotearoa’s culture of masculinity and gender is notoriously troublesome in a lot of ways. Projects are arising to combat such rigid roles, such as Shifting the Line, from the University of Auckland. Its first round of workshops started way back in 2017, and those findings are still relevant today. I spoke to Kris Taylor, one of the researchers, about what’s happened in the interim, where we go from those results, and the intricacies of the project.
Welcome to another Wednesday Wire with Stella! This week, Alex chats with ACT Leader David Seymour about the Tauranga by-election and New Zealand’s foreign policy in the Pacific.
Stella speaks to Kris Taylor from the University of Auckland about the ever-relevant project Shifting The Line.
Stella talks to Kyle Tan from PATHA about the mental health of the transgender community in Aotearoa.
Aneeka talks to European correspondent Cameron Mulgan on this week’s episode of Eurovision.
It’s pride month, and there has been extensive coverage of events in the rainbow community recently. Stella spoke with Kyle Tan from the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa about the landscape of accessibility to healthcare and mental health of Aotearoa’s transgender youth.
A recent OIA request has found people reporting incidents of sexual assault in schools of universities are up 70% since 2015. Christina spoke to Viv Whyte, the national coordinator for Thursdays in Black, about this statistic.
Colombia has elected its first left wing president in the country’s history. Gustavo Petro, an ex-rebel fighter, will step into the country’s top job, winning 50.5% of the vote over millionaire and construction magnate Rodolfo Hernández. Christina spoke to Alejandra Jaramillo Aristizabal, an education student from Colombia, about Petro’s victory.
This week, News and Editorial Director Aneeka Moheed discussed emergency department wait times and Matariki with Dr Shane Reti from the National Party in their regular segment.
AUT Professor Allan Blackman joined Christina live in studio for Dear Science. This week, they discussed light therapy as a cancer treatment, the origin of the Black Death, and carbon and nitrogen levels in the sun, as well as a quick detour into astrology and marmots.
Aneeka had her weekly chat with the National Party's Dr. Shane Reti, where they discussed emergency department wait times and Matariki.
Jack also spoke to Dr Dan Hikuroa, a Māori Studies lecturer from the University of Auckland, about Matariki.
Christina spoke to Alejandra Jaramillo Aristizabal, a University of Auckland education student originally from Columbia, about the recent presidential election that saw a left-wing president elected for the first time in the country's history.
This Friday Aoteroa will be celebrating Matariki as a public holiday for the first time. To mark the occasion Jack spoke to Māori Studies professor Dr Dan Hikuroa from the University of Auckland about the significance of the holiday.
What are Fossil Emblems? Originating in America, other countries have in recent decades started adopting fossil emblems (alongside animal, floral, marine and mineral ones) that epitomise the natural history of each region.
Joe spoke to Dr. Nic Rawlence, the Director at the Paleogenetics Lab at the University of Otago, to find out more about fossil emblems and how New Zealand could adopt them.
Aotearoa Justice Watch is a new initiative designed to allow individuals that have experienced the prison system to tell their stories of human rights abuse. The initiative has been driven by various organisations as a response to the harms caused in the current criminal justice space.
Trishil spoke with Amnesty NZ Campaign Director Lisa Woods about the initiative to learn more about it's potential use.
This discussion contains mention of suicide
A new study conducted by MATES in Construction has revealed that mental health rates have continued to decline for construction workers, owing to covid delays, supply issues, and employment opportunities drying up.
Trishil spoke to the CEO of MATES in Construction, Victoria McArthur, about the survey results, and their efforts to assist struggling individuals.
On this week’s regular segment in collaboration with OurActionStation, we’re discussing sand mining. Jessie Stanley, creator of the Stop Sand Mining On Pakiri Beach petition, spoke with Trishil today about the petiton, greenpeace's support, and how the ecosystem is threatened by this move
World Vision is calling for New Zealand to work harder to meet its refugee quota in the wake of a new report which shows that life has deteriorated significantly in the past two years for refugees in 11 countries.
The new report, titled 'Hungry and Unprotected Children: The forgotten Refugees', surveyed refugees and internally displaced people from countries such as Syria, South Sudan, and Venezuela. Joe spoke to the World Vision National Director, Grant Bayldon on the matter.
Victoria University of Wellington's Pipitea campus bookstore, VicBooks, has recently announced their closure.
Whilst the store was already having difficulties coming out of the pandemic, the early years anti-mandate protests at parliament made matters much more difficult.
The Pipitea campus is located directly next to the Beehive, meaning they were forced to completely close down until the protests ended, and couldn’t bounce back after reopening.
To hear more, Liam spoke to VicBooks General Manager Jessica Godfrey.
Today on the Friday Wire Casper talked to Auckland city counsellor Shane Henderson about the council passing the mayor’s climate budget, as well as the Ports of Auckland’s scrapped automation project. He also spoke to Clair Insley from the Vegan Society of Aotearoa about the importance of plant-based diets in combatting climate change.
Liam spoke to Richard Esther, as well as Paul Moon about Light Pollution, Matariki and how they intersect. Liam also spoke to Jessica Godfrey from Vicbooks about their closure in VUW’s Piptea campus due to the anti-parliment protests.
Matariki is just two weeks away on June 24th, and progressively more discussions on how to properly celebrate the public holiday are taking place.
A specific spotlight has been placed on light pollution, with some regional councils receiving backlash on plans to put on fireworks displays.
A petition has also been launched, calling for turning off lights in central cities to clear the skies and make the constellation visible.
To learn more about light pollution, Liam spoke to Richard Easter from UoA about how it could affect Matariki as well as the world in general.
Alongside the environmental effects of Light Pollution, many are talking about the cultural issues of the inability to see Matariki in central cities.
This is only one of many fears of how Matariki will be celebrated, with concerns being raised of the commercialisation of the holiday and the loss of its meaning.
I also spoke to AUT’s Paul Moon, who is a professor for the schools NZ history and Māori culture programmes, about the holiday, its significance and what meaning could be at risk.
At an international climate summit in Germany, experts urged the world to transition towards plant-based diets.
IPCC research has shown that an uptake in such plant-based diets having the potential to massively reduce carbon emissions, and could be one of the major lifestyle changes necessary to combat climate change.
Casper spoke to Claire Insley, spokesperson for the Vegan Society of Aotearoa, about the impact of our diets on climate change and how it might be possible to reduce emissions by having more people transition to plant-based.
He Waka Eke Noa proposed a new emission pricing plan for the agricultural sector yesterday, after lengthy negotiations between the agriculture industry and the Government. Many farming and environmental interests have questioned the levies in regards to the farming industry and reducing Aotearoa’s Greenhouse gas emissions.
Joe spoke to Emma Brodie, a Campaign Officer for SAFE for Animals, about what this means for the wellbeing of the environment and animals, as well as reducing emissions. Joe also spoke to Andrew Hoggard, who is a Dairy Farmer, about his take on these negotiations and how they impact the dairy farming industry.
Legislation implemented in 2018 and 2020 has purported to make cannabis legal and accessible for people who use it for medicinal or therapeutic reasons, however, the reality is that it still remains out of reach for many.
People suffering from chronic pain and illnesses first have to get over the hurdle of finding a GP who is willing to prescribe them cannabis, only then to be faced with the hurdle of the price.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Fiona Hutton, Associate Professor at the Institute of Criminology at Victoria University.
In a world-first, a New Zealand study has confirmed microplastics are present in Antarctica’s Ross Island region. Kiwi researchers analysed fresh snow from 19 sites, finding an average concentration of 29 microplastic particles per litre of melted snow. These microplastics most likely come from plastic products used at local scientific research stations, however, this team’s modelling also suggests their origin could have been up to 6,000 km away.
Joe spoke to Dr Holly Winton, a Research Fellow in Antarctic ice core climatology from the Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, on the matter.
On Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a vote of no confidence from his Conservative Party colleagues with a margin of 211 votes to 148.
Former Tory leaders Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Theresa May have in the past survived no-confidence votes, only either to step down shortly thereafter, or suffer defeat in the next general election.
To find out what this could mean for the future of both Boris Johnson and the Tory party, Emilia Sullivan spoke to Associate Professor Neal Curtis.
This week on The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!
Tuva’a speaks to Labour Party’s Andrew Little about the selection of the Hauora Maori Advisory Board, Hauora Healthy Futures Bill and COVID-19 booster access for vulnerable groups.
Joe will speaking to Dr Holly Winton about the first microplastics being found in Antarctica, he’ll also be speaking to SAFE For Animals & A Dairy Farmer about the He Waka Eke Noa Emissions Pricing Plan
Emilia talks to Dr. Neal Curtis about what’s next for Boris Johnson after surviving a no-confidence vote, and she also speaks to Associate Professor Fiona Hutton from Victoria University about why medicinal cannabis is still out of reach for many despite being legal.
That's us for the Thursday Wire!
Welcome back to the Wednesday Wire! This week:
Stella speaks to Dr Lucy Stewart about the state of the scientific research ecosystem in Aotearoa.
Trishil celebrates World Ocean Day by speaking to Associate Professor Travis Horton from the University of Canterbury about his research into Ocean protection with the use of satellite and drone technology.
Alex speaks with ACT party deputy leader Brooke Van Velden about the Government’s new Rural Health Strategy and ACT’s Housing Infrastructure Bill.
Stella speaks to Dr Lee Beattie about the walkability of towns in Aotearoa and the positive outcomes that can be achieved with programmes for active transport.
Science has proven to be a key part of how Aotearoa’s society functions, but its importance isn’t reflected in the amount of funding allocated to research. Stella spoke with Dr Lucy Stewart, senior scientist and co-president of the New Zealand Association of Scientists about the recent budget's allocation of funding to research, and the intricacies of the research system.
A recently published paper titled 'Equity and other effects of a program facilitating and promoting active travel', investigated the implementation of walking and cycling infrastructure and run programs to promote and normalise active travel. Stella spoke with Dr Lee Beattie about the results, and what we can do with them.
Alex speaks with ACT party deputy leader Brooke Van Velden about the Government’s new Rural Health Strategy and ACT’s Housing Infrastructure Bill.
It's World Ocean Day! To celebrate, the vast and expansive Ocean, Trishil speaks to Associate Professor Travis Horton from the University of Canterbury about his research into Ocean protection with the use of satellite and drone technology.
We cover the technology, funding, and ocean acidification
In the wake of multiple deadly mass shootings in the United States, Christina did some research on the gun culture deeply entrenched in US society, as well as the political reluctance to introduce stricter gun legislation. Here is her report.
In the past few months, following Auckland's long lockdowns, residents saw a boom in graffiti on public structures.
This has led to a lot of discussion about the artform, and its place in the cultural zeitgeist.
While everyone from artists to politicians to locals agree that graffiti on private residential property is vandalism, the conversation of painting on public structures like bridges and trains has been more divided.
Jack Horsnell spoke with Graffiti artist, CAPO, street art expert, Dr Reuben Woods and Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson to understand why this discussion is taking place.
This week on the Wire, Christina and Jack did some deep dives on some hot-button topics.
In the wake of a string of mass shootings over the weekend, Christina looked into gun culture and gun control laws in the United States.
Jack looked into graffiti in Tamaki Makaurau. He spoke with graffiti artist CAPO, street art expert Dr Reuben Woods, and city councillor Shane Henderson.
Christina also had her regular catch up with Allan Blackman on Dear Science. This week, they discussed the imperial and metric systems, a super-reactive chemical that could change how we analyse the climate, and silk tags used to detect if medication is dodgy or not.
And finally, James Hita, a seabed mining campaigner from Greenpeace, called into the show to chat with Christina about a Greenpeace petition being delivered to Parliament on Wednesday.
Whakarongo mai!
In April, Tuvalu's government reversed their decision to sponsor seabed mining in a huge win for environmental activists. Now, Greenpeace is delivering a petition to Parliament to urge politicians to ban the practice here in Aotearoa.
James Hita, a Greenpeace seabed mining campaigner, joined Christina live during the news hour to discuss the petition and what it means going forward.
We've got a nice range of climates stories, policy discussions, and more to end off The Wire this week!
Casper talked to Auckland city counsellor Pippa Coom about Phil Goff’s proposed climate action budget.
Liam spoke to Liam Martin from Victoria University of Wellington about the Clean Slate scheme.
Casper also spoke to Abdur Razzaq from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand about the delay of a recommended intelligence and security agency,
Liam also had a chat with Professor Craig Stevens on the recently discovered Amphipod ecosystem under Antarctica.
And finally Casper spoke to Tom Kay from Forest and Bird about wetland preservation.
Teams from several New Zealand Universities as well as NIWA have recently discovered a large Amphipods ecosystem underneath Antarctica.
Amphipods are a crustacean largely found underwater, and in these circumstances over five hundred metres under the atlantic ice sheets.
The team found the ecosystem by accident after drilling through the river nearby and discovering the animals on their cameras.
To learn more, Liam spoke to NIWA oceanographer Craig Stevens about their findings and how the ecosystem could be affected by climate change.
A recent government announcement would allow ‘additional consenting pathways’ in some of New Zealand’s precious wetland areas.
This development, especially the potential consenting of coal mines in wetland areas, would massively endanger the country’s eco-systems and carbon sequestration.
Casper had a chat with Tom Kay, the freshwater advocate at Forest and Bird about the government’s announcement, why wetlands are so precious and how they will be impacted.
The Clean Slate Act has recently been under discussion, as activists fight for the scheme to be extended to those who’ve been imprisoned.
The scheme currently allows criminal records to be sealed, drastically assisting former criminals with getting employed, becoming a tenant and getting a mortgage.
The scheme currently does not apply to those who've been imprisoned within their lifetime, instead focusing on those who have paid fines or undergone other forms of punishment.
To learn more about the scheme and how it could be changed, Liam spoke to Liam Martin, a Criminology professor at Victoria University of Wellington.
One of the primary recommendations by the Royal Comission following the March 15 Christchurch mosque attack was the establishment of a new national intelligence and security agency.
However, this agency which would be named NISA, is yet to be created.
Casper spoke to Abdur Razzaq from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand about what this agency is and why community advocates are questioning the government’s hesitation on the matter.
Work has begun to move rocks from Waiheke Island’s Kennedy Bay where there are plans to build a Marina consisting of 180 berths, a floating car park, and onshore facilities like sewage containment and a cafe. This is despite the immediate area having a large, but declining, population of Korora, or Little Blue Penguins.
Concerns have been raised over the council and the Department of Conservation’s handling of resource consent granting, and failures to consider tikanga and the protection of local species.
On Tuesday, Mayor Phil Goff discussed the issue on the Breakfast show, and Emilia Sullivan spoke to Bianca Ranson from Protect Pūtiki about their response to the mayor’s comments.
Happy Samoan Language Week! This week on the Wire for Aso Tofi, Tuva’a speaks to Labour Party’s Andrew Little about the Budget for 2022.
Joe looks at the Ministry of Health’s decision regarding worker pay and why it has been regarded as a major setback for healthcare workers. He speaks to Kirsty McCully, the Director for E tū , Jocelyn Pratt, an organiser for the PSA, and Ruby Sayer, a worker in aged healthcare on the matter.
Emilia is speaks to Bianca Ranson from Protect Putiki on Mayor Phil Goff’s comments about the Kennedy Point Marina. She also talks to Bodo Lang from the University of Auckland on Sugary Drinks in Schools
That's us for the Thursday Wire!
Care and support workers are “gutted and disappointed” after a Ministry of Health recommendation that will not see workers get a pay rise of more than 70 cents an hour for at least a year. In May, workers rallied around the country and presented a petition with more than 10,000 signatures calling on the Government for a bigger pay rise as part of the renewal of the Care and Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlement Act to combat worker shortages and financial hardship.
Joe spoke with Kirsty McCully, the Director at E tū, Jocelyn Pratt, an organiser from the PSA, and Ruby Sayer, a healthcare assistant in residential aged care on the matter.
The Ministry of Education is seeking feedback for their proposal to ban the selling of sugary drinks in schools, which would mean students in Years one to eight would only be allowed to drink water, milk and plant-based milks.
While banning the sale of sugary drinks in schools is a good start in addressing New Zealand’s rising youth health issues, some believe that it doesn’t go far enough.
Ahead of submissions closing today, Emilia Sullivan spoke to Bodo Lang, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Auckland about the issue.
On this week's Wednesday show, Stella starts off chatting to advocate Abbey Trewavas from APEX, allied scientific and technical about the document of crisis delivered to government about lab workers. They also touch on the future of the profession, given a generation of lab work students didn't get comprehensive access to labs during lockdowns.
Alex talks to ACT's Brooke Van Velden in their weekly catch up. This week, they cover China’s new cooperation agreements in the Pacific.
Stella talks to the Green Party's Ricardo Menéndez March about the government's actions on the supermarket duopoly.
Finally, Frances speaks with European correspondent Cameron Mulgan on Eurovision, this week covering the war in Ukraine, the EU's Russian oil embargo passed late last night, Sue Grey's report on the Partygate scandal and nine euro per month public transport in Germany.
A recent report has revealed that police have seized over 95 Million dollars worth of cannabis within this year's National Cannabis Eradication operation.
The operation was ended shortly after the 2020s cannabis referendum returned a “no” vote, but was revived by six police districts earlier this year.
The program costs seven hundred thousand dollars per year and saw 79 kilograms worth of cannabis captured.
To learn more about the scheme and its effectiveness, Liam spoke to Fiona Hutton, a Criminology Professor from Victoria University of Wellington,
He first asked her what the police were intending to achieve through the operation.
Today on the Wire Casper had a chat with Jon Duffy from consumer NZ about Foodstuffs recently announced price cuts and what they say about the supermarket industry. He also talked to Bronwyn Hayward from the University of Canterbury about how the 2022 budget might address climate change.
Liam spoke to Anu Kaloti from the Migrant Workers Association about the government's two-tier migration system and the issues that come with it. He also spoke to Fiona Hutton from Victoria University of Wellington about the police reviving the cannabis eradication operation in 2022.
Lastly Liam had a chat with Sally Watson from the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research about the affects anchors are having on seabeds in Picton and the wider world.
Researchers from UoA, AUT and the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research have recently discovered the levels of damage that anchors are causing to Picton Harbour.
Anchors are destroying parts of seabed, and producing amounts of sediment that could supposedly fill an olympic swimming pool.
The researchers believe that this issue could be seen in worse states around the world, Considering Picton harbour is generally lower congestion compared to ports of Wellington and Los Angeles.
Liam spoke to NIWA lead researcher and UoA professor Sally Watson about what the study means and what it could predict for anchor damage around the world.
The 2022 annual budget will set the direction of New Zealand’s efforts to combat climate change, allocating resources towards crucial areas such as transport, energy and infrastructure.
Casper spoke to Bronwyn Hayward, a professor in the political science department of Canterbury University and a member of the IPCC intergovernmental panel on climate change, about how the budget might address climate change. Casper began by asking what sorts of investments she is anticipating with regards to addressing climate change.
The Government has recently announced their bringing forward of the Aotearoa border opening to the 31st of July.
This includes a newly implemented two tier system for migrant workers, allowing professional industry workers to gain permanent residency quickly.
As this pushes back other workers in industries with high turnover rates, the Migrant Workers Association of New Zealand have publicly condemned the new system.
Liam had a chat with Anu Kaloti from the association about their frustrations, first asking her to summarise the scheme new government scheme
Foodstuffs, in response to nationwide concerns about the price of groceries, has announced a 10% price cut on its 110 most commonly purchased items.
This announcement mirrors a recent price freeze that was imposed in the last week by foodstuff’s competitor Countdown on its own essential products.
Casper spoke to Jon Duffy, the chief executive of Consumer NZ about Foodstuffs’ announcement, what it will mean for consumers and what it tells us about the current state of competition in the New Zealand supermarket industry. Casper began by asking him how substantial the discount will be for New Zealand consumers.
As Covid restrictions ease, more employers are trying to lure their employees back into the office.
Dubbed ‘the Great Hybrid Return to Work’, employers have to make decisions on how to implement a working schedule that offers the flexibility that workers had over the lockdowns.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist from Umbrella Wellbeing, about what employers should take into consideration when figuring out a hybrid working schedule.
Recently in the news, we've seen an uptick of stories of youths committing crimes such as ram raids, burglaries and more. This has caused concern that New Zealand is facing a once-in-a-lifetime surge of youth offending.
However, statistics show that reported youth crime has dropped by about 65% over the past decade, and the narratives we often see in the media is shaped by reports that fail to contain information about the factors driving youth crime, or context on the overall statistics on youth offending.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Dr. Ronald Kramer, senior criminology lecturer at the University of Auckland about the media's portrayal of youth crime.
Yesterday Myeloma NZ called for Andrew Little to release the independent Pharmac report. Myeloma NZ regarded the report as buried due to it not being released yet. Joe spoke to Myeloma NZ Chief Executive Dr Ken Romeril, on the matter.
Each new species discovered need a name, however, how do researchers or scientists come up with a name for a species? That’s exactly what a recent study from the University of Otago was looking to find out. Researchers looked at naming trends for almost 3,000 parasitic worms over he last two decades and found some interesting trends surrounding the naming process of new found species. Joe spoke to one of the authors of the study, Professor Robert Poulin from the Department of Zoology at the University of Otago, on the subject.
Today's show starts off with a conversation with ACT’s Brooke van Velden about the government’s announcement that they are gathering information on tax intake.
Alex then speaks with Andrew King, president of the NZPIF about how the property “slow down” might affect the rental market and what the NZPIF suggests to ease the rental crisis.
Stella follows, chatting with Heather Lewis, National Leader of Mathematics Interventions about why we are comparatively bad at maths as a country
Alex then sits down with Ellen Rykers of Forest and Bird about korora conservation in New Zealand, with a specific focus on the Hauraki Gulf.
After that, Stella speaks with Amnesty International's campaign director Lisa Woods about Immigration New Zealand ceasing to imprison people seeking asylum.
Finally, Frances chats with Cameron Mulgan on Eurovision, where they discuss War in Ukraine, Mayday protests in Europe, the European cost of living crisis and the revamp of the Large Hadron Collider.
Alex speaks with Andrew King, Oresident of the New Zealand Property Investors Federation, about how the property “slow down” might affect the rental market, and the improvements to tenancy structures and property ownership laws that his organisation suggests
The gender pay gap: it’s a contentious issue that's been hotly debated, and at times, completely denied. However, many of us don't necessarily know the specifics. On the Wire, Christina spoke to co-founder of Mind the Gap Jo Cribb about the pay gap, and the push to enact better pay equity legislation.
OurActionStation brings you a new petition to condemn violence by Israeli's towards Palestinian worshippers and their holy sites. Charlie spoke to Ahmed Saadeh and Rand Hazou from the Palestine Aotearoa Coordinating Committee speak on what Palestinian's in Israel have been going through, and what New Zealand can do to help.
This week on Dear Science, Christina and Marcus discussed how climate change can cause disease outbreaks in animals, the detection of evidence of a sound tunnel, and the mysterious persistence of CFCs in the atmosphere despite them being banned.
Christina also spoke to co-founder of Mind the Gap Jo Cribb about the gender pay gap, and the push to enact better pay equity legislation.
Trishil spoke to Madeline Newman, Chief Executive of NZ AI Forum about artificial intelligence as the future of mitigating climate change and declining biodiversity.
Trishil also spoke to Letitia Harding from the New Zealand Asthma Foundation about the overrepresentation of Maori and Pasifika groups with asthma, and how this gap can be alleviated.
Listen back!
The Monday Wire with Charlie brings you:
The segment in collaboration with OurActionStation is back today, with Ahmed Saadeh and Rand Hazou from the Palestine Aotearoa Coordinating Committee discuss the situation in Israel and their petition to condemn the violence.
Holly Walker, Deputy Executive Director of the Helen Clark Foundation, speaks about their new report based around perinatal mental health concerns.
The Bank of Mum and Dad increases its 'loans' for their children's property purchases. Gemma Rasmussen, Head of Communications and Campaigns at Consumer NZ, spoke on the issue.
EV Maritime are pushing for electrical ferries, and are making progress. We see what CEO of EV Maritime, Michael Eaglen, has to say.
Have a lovely Monday!
Eletrical energy has been harnesed in cars, and now New Zealand wants it in their ferries too. Michael Eaglen, CEO of EV Maritime, speaks with Charlie about the current state of ferry fuels, EV Maritime's project with the government to bring in some eletric ferries the Auckland, and what the future of electric ferries could look like.
The Bank of Mum and Dad is an international concept that means parents are paying out for their children to purchase property. With the housing market seemingly in a constant crisis in Aotearoa, Gemma Rasmussen, Head of Communications and Campaign manager at Consumer NZ, discusses how this concept is affecting New Zealander's.
Perinatal depression is proving to be a high risk concern in Aotearoa. A new study done into the issue by Holly Walker, Deputy Executive Director of the Helen Clark Foundation, shows that suicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women and new mums. Charlie spoke with he about the issue, and what can be done to support these women.
Auckland council has released for consultation their proposal to rezone parts of the central suburbs for medium and high density housing development.
Casper spoke firstly to Auckland councellor Shane Henderson about proposal, what it will mean for Auckland’s housing development and how people can contribute to the feedback process.
Then, to bring in some wider perspective, Casper had a chat with Character Coalition chairperson Sally Hughes about a desire to preserve special character areas and how it might be reconciled with a need for more affordable housing.
Finally, to round out the discussion, Casper talked to Bill McKay from the Architecture department of the University of Auckland about the impact that the council’s proposal might have on the city in terms of livability, housing supply and the future of urban development.
A team of New Zealand researchers have recently released the results of the world's first bilberry genome sequencing project.
Bilberries, also known as European blueberries are an obscure fruit similar to Blueberries but with a consistently violet inner pigment compared to Blueberries green insides.
Liam spoke to Richard Espley from Plant and Food Research about their findings and the possible health effects of breeding bilberries and blueberries.
Greenpeace Aotearoa has recently released their petition for the government to limit the amount of nitrates in drinking water to one milligram.
At the moment the legal limit of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser is 11.3mg, which Greenpeace says is a major issue that has caused several illnesses and deaths.
The organisation has stated that water is a human right, and that the government must stand up for the health of our communities.
To learn more, Liam spoke to Steve Abel from Greenpeace about the petition and how Aotearoa got to this point.
Caspers back on the Friday Wire! Today on the show:
As part of his regular city counselling segment, I talked to City Councillor Shane Henderson, as well as Character Coalition chairperson Sally Hughes and the University of Auckland’s Bill McKay all on the topic of housing intensification and the council’s proposed changes to zoning rules.
Liam spoke to Steve Abel from Greenpeace about their petition to remove nitrates from drinking water.
He also had a chat with Richard Espley from Plant and Food Research to chat about their research on the genome sequence of bilberries.
Earlier this week, researchers from the University of Otago released a report looking at substance usage amongst adolescents. The study found that rates of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis usage amongst Kiwi teens peaked about 20 years ago and have declined rapidly since, but our adolescents are still binge drinking at higher rates than their peers in similar countries overseas.
Joe spoke to Jude Ball, from the Department of Public Health, who co-authored the study on the matter.
A campaign to give 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote has been granted leave to appeal in the Supreme Court.
While the Court of Appeal agreed that barring teenagers from voting was in fact unjustified age discrimination, they stopped short of making a formal declaration.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Sanat Singh, co-director of Make it 16 about his campaign heading to the Supreme Court.
Twitter has agreed to sell its platform to Elon Musk for a mammoth sixty seven billion New Zealand dollars.
Musk, who is a self-professed ‘free speech absolutist’ has given hints as to what he plans to do with the site regarding content moderation, user verification, and more.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Greg Treadwell, head of the journalism department at AUT about what this acquisition of twitter by Elon Musk could mean.
This week on The Wire for Thursday!
We have our regular chat with Andrew Little. Tuva’a speaks to him about the new health system reforms.
Joe speaks to Jude Ball from the University of Otago about adolescent drinking trends. He also will be speaking to Breast Cancer Foundation Chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner about New Zealand’s lack of access to cancer drugs.
Emilia speaks to Sanat Singh from Make it 16 about their case to lower the voting age making it to the Supreme Court. She also speaks to Greg Treadwell from AUT about Twitter agreeing to a sale to Elon Musk.
That's us for the Thursday Wire!
Cancer Control Agency Te Aho o Te Kahu released a report today aimed at measuring the gap that patients have been looking to close for years. The report found there were 18 cancer related medicines with significant benefits that New Zealanders did not have access to.
Joe spoke to the Chief Executive of the Breast Cancer Foundation, Ah-Leen Rayner, on the matter.
Alex speaks with Associate Professor Kevin Simon of the University of Auckland about microplastic pollution in freshwater.
Welcome back to another Friday Wire! Casper is off this week so Aneeka is filling in.
Today on the show:
Liam speaks to Aucklnad City Councillor Pippa Coom about safety in the city centre as well as the retun of their events and tourism industries on City Counselling.
Aneeka spoke to the Honorable Willie Jackson about developing a plan to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in New Zealand.
Liam also spoke to Martin Berka from Massey University about the rising cost of living.
Aneeka also spoke to Peter Reynolds the Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Disability Support Network.
Liam had a chat to Patrick Moyanhan from Computer Recycling Ltd about how we can eliminate e-waste.
And finally Aneeka also spoke to Dr Duane Peltzer, Chief Scientist of BioHeritage National Science Challenge about a newly-launched government plan to safeguard New Zealand's native plants and wildlife.
The release of the consumer price index has revealed that New Zealand has undergone a record six point nine percent rise in cost of living, being its highest increase in thirty years.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has stated that this was caused by the global pressures of the pandemic and Russia's war on Ukraine.
However, National leader Christopher Luxon says the government continues to be "addicted to spending” .
With economists expecting the forecast to rise, Liam spoke to Martin Berka, an economics professor at Massey University, about the increase.
Auckland based recycling firm Computer Recycling has recently bought the BLUBOX machine to New Zealand.
The machine is one of eight in the world that can shred and compress computer waste that could release toxic chemicals into landfills.
To learn more, Liam spoke to computer recycling managing director Patrick Moynahan about the machine.
Aneeka speaks to Peter Reynolds the Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Disability Support Network about a report released by the Disability Commissioner which states that our disabled community was severely disadvantaged by the country's COVID response.
Aneeka speaks to Dr Duane Peltzer, Chief Scientist of BioHeritage National Science Challenge about a newly-launched government plan to safeguard New Zealand's native plants and wildlife.
Today the Minister for Māori Development the Honorable Willie Jackson released feedback from the first phase of targeted engagement with Māori on developing a plan to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in New Zealand.
Aneeka speaks to Hon Jackson about this and what has happened between our commitment to implementing it in 2010 and now.
Dr. Alys Longley has been working with a group of Chilean artists across the pandemic on a collaborative art project that combines thinking across the southern axis to illustrate how we think about art as an essential service in times of crisis and political repression.
Producer Alex spoke to Dr. Alys Longley from the University of Auckland about this project.
On this weeks Thursday Wire, Emilia speaks to Health Minister Andrew Little about the nurses pay equity settlement and nurse recruitment efforts.
She also speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the University of Otago about his latest study that allows for a non-destructive extraction of ancient DNA from small fossils.
Alex speaks to the University of Auckland’s Dr. Alys Longley about her new collaborative art piece which was created across media during the pandemic.
Joe speaks to Teanau Tuiono, Green Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples, about the security and future of students in West Papua.
He also speaks to David Dempsey, a Senior Lecturer from the University of Canterbury, about AI technology being used to detect seismic activity before volcanic eruptions. That's us for the Thursday Wire!
Recent studies surrounding hidden patterns in seismic signals could help forecast eruptions and prevent loss of life on volcanoes, according to research from the University of Canterbury which spurred from the tragic Whakaari White Island eruption.
Joe spoke to David Dempsey, a Senior Lecturer in Civil and Natural Resources from the University of Canterbury, who worked closely with the research team and is a co-author of the study.
Our regular interview with Labour’s Andrew Little is back.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to the Health Minister about the pay equity settlement that the New Zealand Nurses Association has recently decided to seek legal advice against, as well as the government’s plan to increase the nurse workforce with recruitment campaigns amid a surge in nurse burnout.
Aotearoa is continuously inching closer to building Puketaha, a mainland kakapo sanctuary near Wellington.
The project was initially proposed by Zealandia founder Jim Lynch a few years ago, with plans to build a large fence around Wainuiomata.
The project is continuing to grow in likelihood and feasibility, so Liam spoke to project leader and greater Wellington regional councillor Thomas Nash about what steps have recently taken place.
It's another Friday Wire, and Casper McGuire is making his debut as a host!
Today on the show:
Jessye spoke to Susan Saint John, economic spokesperson for Child poverty action group to discuss today's increase to the Working for Families tax credit increase by the government.
Casper had his regular chat with Auckland city councellor Shane Henderson and this week we talked about the council’s newly proposed parking strategy.
Liam spoke with University of Otago Professor James Headley about Russia’s threats to cut Germany’s fuel supplies.
Jessye spoke to Dr Lida Ayoubi, Senior Law Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology, asking her what the current immigration policy is in Aotearoa for disabled people.
Casper also talked to Dr George Laking, the medical director of the New Zealand Cancer Society, about a recent melanoma study.
Jessye spoke to Justin Hodgkiss is co-director of the MacDairmid institute about the future of solar panel technology.
And finally Liam spoke to Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Thomas Nash about the Puketaha Kakapo Sanctuary.
A recent international study has found that New Zealand had the highest death rate from melanoma in 2020.
High amounts of UV exposure, as well as traditionally outdoors lifestyles, especially in childhood, lead to an increased risk for melanoma.
Casper spoke to the medical director of the Cancer Foundation, George Laking, about New Zealand’s high rates of melanoma and how they can be addressed by prevention and early recognition. Casper began by asking him why melanoma poses a great risk to New Zealanders in particular.
Today the government increased Working for Families Tax Credits in response to inflation. Jessye spoke to Susan Saint John, economic spokesperson for Child Poverty Action Group about the changes.
In the midst of their invasion of Ukraine, Russia has signed a decree requiring several G7 countries to pay for Russian fuel supplies via roubles.
Multiple countries have declined this decree despite their reliance on Russian fuel, with Germany especially calling the move blackmail.
Putin is now threatening to halt all fuel supplies to Germany, with more supplies from Russia such as other forms of food and fuel.
To learn more, I spoke to University of Otago's James Headley about what’s going on, first asking him why Europe was so reliant on Russia's fuel supplies.
Jessye spoke to Dr Lida Ayoubi, Senior Law Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology, whose research focus includes human rights and disability rights. They discussed the current immigration policy in Aotearoa for people with disabilities.
Solar power cells currently are made of silicon, but Justin Hodgkiss, who is co-director of the MacDairmid institute for advanced materials and nanotechnology, is undertaking research to find alternative materials. Jessye spoke to him to find out more about the future of solar power.
A new report was released last week about the state of children’s literacy in New Zealand, demonstrating that it’s time to learn the wide-ranging benefits of using subtitles, in terms of improving literacy. New Zealand’s media accessibility organisation Able creates subtitles and captions for New Zealand TV and media, which have shown the benefits on children’s literacy
Joe talked to Sophie Jones from Able on the matter.
A New study has shed light on the phenomenon of binaural beats, sounds which essentially evoke psychoactive effects within the brain. There is very little-known about binaural beats, so to gain some clarity, Joe spoke to the lead author of the study, Dr. Monica Barrett from RMIT University in Melbourne about what they are exactly.
Major reforms to New Zealand's healthcare systems are set to come into place in July. The changes would see all DHBs replaced by one national organisation, Health New Zealand, while a Māori Health Authority will be established to commission health services, monitor the state of Māori health, and develop policy.
Emilia Sullivan spoke about these reforms to the University of Otago's Professor Robin Gauld, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Commerce and Dean of Otago Business School.
Parliament unanimously passed the Russia Sanctions Act last week in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the sanctions would be able to target those associated with the invasion, including people, services, companies, and assets.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Sarah Salmond, a Partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts who is currently helping clients navigate these new restrictions.
A recent OECD Report has highlighted the need for increased levels of equity funding and better support for teachers and school leaders in disadvantaged schools. Joe spoke to Lynda Stuart, the former President of the NZEI and the current Principal of May Road School about the report.
Today on the show, Joe Wickins speaks to Dr. David Welch about New Zealand's border reopening being shifted to April.
In our weekly chat with Andrew Little, Tuva'a Clifton talks to him about mental health and the strike action by healthcare workers that was called off.
Joe also speaks to Lynda Stuart, former President of the NZEI and current principal of May Road School about the most recent OECD report.
Emilia Sullivan speaks to Sarah Salmond, a partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts about the Russia Sanctions Act and how she is helping her clients navigate new restrictions.
Lastly, Joe also speaks to the Dr. Katie Ayers of the New Zealand Dental Association regarding the upcoming World Oral Health day.
The New Zealand Dental Association is calling on the Government to deliver on its dental promises this World Oral Health Day. Joe spoke to Dr. Katie Ayers, the NZDA Access to Care spokesperson on the matter.
Earlier this week, the government announced the date of the border reopening. The country’s border is set to open for tourists and others from Australia without residence visas from midnight 12 April, and travellers from visa waiver countries such as the US and UK will come in May 2, with mandatory vaccination and a negative pre-departure test. Joe spoke to Dr. David Welch, a Senior Lecturer from the Centre for Computational Evolution and School of Computer Science at the University of Auckland
Earlier today Producer Alex spoke with Auckland City Mission Manutaki Helen Robinson about how the ongoing Omicron outbreak and red light setting are impacting the homeless. Auckland City Mission have a range of services that cater to vulnerable, unhoused people in Auckland and the pandemic has led to them adapting their approach so that workers, volunteers and people seeking their services can remain safe.
The Abel Tasman National Park is currently coming alive to the sound of young kākā following a successful breeding season for the park’s resident birds. Collaborators on the breeding programme including Project Janszoon, DOC and the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust are all celebrating the successful fledging of eight chicks from three nests in the Bark Bay and Torrent Bay areas.
In 2015, Kākā were virtually extinct in the park with only a few wild male birds surviving there. Since then a total of 35 captive-bred birds have been released, with the last release happening in 2019. Most of these birds came from captive South Island kaka but about a third were raised from eggs or chicks collected from Nelson Lakes and Kahurangi National Parks. This year’s chicks were all banded and fitted with a transmitter before they left their nests. They are particularly vulnerable in the period between leaving the nest and learning to fly, which can take up to a week, but most are now competent flyers and adding their tunes to the chorus of the park.
This week on the Wire, Frances speaks with ornithologist Ron Moorhouse and Project Janszoon’s Project Director Bruce Vander Lee about the much loved birds and conservation in the area.
This week is the third week of EuroVision, our regular segment where Frances catches up with our European Correspondent Cameron Mulgan. This week Cameron joined Frances from Berlin and they spoke about the developments in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This week Frances started off speaking to Ron Moorhouse and Project Janszoon Project Director Bruce Vander Lee about their conservation work in the Abel Tasman national park, and the new kaka chicks that are bringing the forest to life there
Alex then spoke with Helen Robinson, Manutaki of the Auckland City Mission on the impacts on the Omicron outbreak and red light setting on the homeless.
Frances then had her regular segment EuroVision where she speaks to Europe Correspondent Cameron Mulgan about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Alex then speaks with the ACT party’s Brooke Van Velden about the new Medium Density Residential Standards (or MDRS) and what they mean for the housing shortage, as well as about yesterdays government announcement of 4000 Special Humanitarian Visas for Ukrainians with family in NZ.
Three years on from the Christchurch attacks, Islamophobia still persists in our society, affecting the way of life for those in the Muslim Community. The Third Islamophobia in Australia report released this morning has highlighted the increase in online and offline abuse in recent years despite the horrors of March 15th 2019.
Trishil spoke with Dr Mohammad Ridwan from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand about the fallout of the attacks, discussing the recent abuse of Otago student Hoda-Al Jammar, and how islamophobia can be challenged in the future.
A group is campaigning for the government and Kiwirail to restore intercity rail services after the Northern Explorer between Auckland and Wellington, as well as the Coastal Pacific Service between Picton and Christchurch were cancelled.
Kiwirail said it is now planning to create multi-day experiences that showcase the best of New Zealand, both on and off the track.
But the Save Our Trains campaign says it wants a comprehensive national strategy for future passenger rail services built around concerns for climate action, accessibility, and economic development.
Paul Callister is a spokesperson for the campaign and a senior associate at the Institute of Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria University.
He spoke to Justin Wong.
With Omicron spreading in the community, there is much discussion on how to best deal with the new variant. Christina speaks to the National Party’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop live on air about the party's ten-point plan to tackle Omicron.
Today on the Wire, we start with Dear Science. Christina Huang asks AUT Professor Marcus Jones about how Omicron affects children, the concerning rise in methane levels in the atmosphere, astronomers taking a stand against an the massive number of satellites in space.
Christina speaks to the National Party’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop live about the party's ten point plan to tackle Omicron.\
Aneeka Moheed reports on her conversation with Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon about his call for compulsory Te Reo Māori classes to be introduced in schools.
Christina talks to Associate Professor Danny Osborne from the University of Auckland Social psychology department about the recent antivaccination protests, anti-government attitudes and how our mindset towards the pandemic has shifted over the past two years.
Finally, Jemima speaks to ACT Party Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden about the first three months of the End of Life Choice Act 2019 and the second reading of the bill that would ban conversion therapy in Aotearoa.
Two years into the global pandemic, the world has faced a lot of changes: from new variants of the coronavirus running rampant, to the rollout of vaccines to protect us against Covid-19. We have seen nations mobilise to tackle the virus but we have also seen a small minority of people pushing back against the health measures that have been enacted. And in our digital age, it is no surprise that social media is fuelling the spread of fear and misinformation alongside the virus.
So why exactly does a global crisis invoke such strong reactions?
Christina Huang spoke to Associate Professor Danny Osborne from the University of Auckland Social psychology department about the recent antivaccination protests, anti-government attitudes and how our mindset towards the pandemic has shifted over the past two years.
This week News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston interviews ACT Party Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden , about how the first three months of assisted dying being an option for New Zealanders suffering with terminal illnesses has gone. They also touch on the second reading of the bill that would ban conversion therapy that took place in Parliament yesterday.
Over the weekend Australia announced that it would be opening its borders to all fully vaccinated tourists from February 21st. This is quite different from New Zealand’s five step gradual reopening plan that will take place over the next few months.
News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston talks to Professor Michael Plank from the University of Canterbury about the difference in New Zealand and Australia's border reopening strategies, and how Australia's border reopening to all vaccinated people will impact Aotearoa.
Today on the Wire, Emily Bell speaks to University of Auckland Māori Studies Professor Margaret Mutu about the significance of Waitangi Day.
Jemima Huston talks to Professor Michael Plank about why Australia has opened its borders to all fully vaccinated travellers, when New Zealand has decided to reopen gradually with a five-step process.
Emily interviews the CEO of the Bus and Coaches Association NZ Ben McFadgen about how the pandemic has impacted the bus and coach industry.
Jemima catches up with with promoter rep and freelance tour manager Sarin Moddel about her feelings on the government's $121 million covid relief funding announcement for the arts and culture sector.
Finally, Jemima speaks to Dr Roshini Peiris-John, Associate Professor at the School of Population Health in Auckland, about her study into the Youth19 health survey and the finding that young Asian people who experience discrimination and racism are more likely to forgo healthcare.
A study looking into a survey of highschool students has found that experiences of racism and discrimination keep young asian people from accessing health services in New Zealand. News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston interviews Dr Roshini Peirs-John, Associate Professor at the School of Population Health in Auckland and co-investigator in this study. They talk about what the study entailed, the Youth19 survey it's based on and why it is important to break down the catchall ethnicity term 'Asian' into more specific Asian ethnic groupings to provide better health policies and data.
For the last few weeks, News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston has been following the calls made by people working in the arts and culture sector for more consistent and reliable government support to get people through the red setting. Last week, the government announced that $121 million of Covid relief funding for the sector had been made available and Jemima spoke to Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni about this. The Minister said that workers should be able to take comfort in the fact that the funding announced for Arts and Culture in 2020 had not yet been spent and that the government is taking any calls for help seriously.
This week Jemima wanted to know what the industry reaction to the latest funding announcement has been. She caught up with promoter representative and freelance tour manager Sarin Moddle to ask what her thoughts were on the $121 million fund. Sarin says she has had mixed feelings about the fund but has settled on a belief that the government has simply "tinkered around the edges of what was already there" and have not made funding avenues that fit the purpose of providing direct financial support to industry workers.
Sarin spoke with Jemima last week about what little help there is out there for people working in the arts, music and events industry. To listen to that podcast and find more coverage on this issue, click here.
This week on the show, host Jessica Hopkins spoke to Jason from Otago’s The Penguin Place about the support they are receiving from the Government's Jobs for Nature funding. Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson is back for his regular chat with Jessica. They talked all things public transport from light rail to Shane's call for Auckland Transport for an update on Northwestern bus improvements and his recent discovery that there are USB ports on buses. Producer Liam Hansen spoke to Doctor Dion O’Neale from the Auckland of University about the shortening of the booster gaps and the Government's plan for reopening the borders. He also talked to University of Otago Research Fellow Nick Bowden and Autism New Zealand Chief Executive Dane Dougan about a recent study debunking some misconceptions about how Autistic people are treated in the criminal justice system.
This week has seen a couple of major announcements from the government regarding their response to Covid-19 and the Omicron variant.
Firstly, the gap between the second vaccine and the booster shot has been shortened from a four month gap to just three, and the steps for Aotearoa to open up its borders have been laid out.
Liam spoke to Doctor Dion O’Neale, a Principal Investigator, for Te Pūnaha Matatini and a senior physics lecturer at the University of Auckland about these decisions.