The plumpest and most pungent, brutally ripped from their nests for your exclusive edification.

Today on the Wire, Lyric Waiwiri-Smith speaks to Minister Aupito William Sio about the importance of Samoan Language Week this week. 

In response to the massive flooding event in Canterbury, Jemima Huston talks to Caroline Orchiston from the University of Otago about community resilience to natural disasters and to Dr Judy Lawrence from the Victoria University of Wellington about how climate change has impacted weather events across the country. 

This week on What’s the Buzz - our weekly catch up with the New Zealand Drug Foundation - Aneeka Moheed and Executive Director Sarah Helm discuss ritalin and how people use it in Aotearoa. 

Finally, Jemima chats to Genevieve Early, who is a student at the Bio-Protection Research Centre, about her research into how an indigenous New Zealand fungus could be a natural solution to non-native, damaging Wilding Pine. 

I tēnei ata kei te Hōtaka Parakuihi: We kick off the show with a round of Second Guessing; the Mayor is on the line chatting to Rachel about what's happening around Tāmaki in Sounding Off w/ Phil Goff; Kraus pops into the studio to chat about his new record; Alice is here with what's good in theatre for Stage Direction; and we've got another Ready Steady Learn for all the boffins and brainiacs. Whakarongo mai!

To celebrate this year's Samoan Language Week/Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa Lyric speaks to Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio about this year's theme - "Poupou le lotoifale. Ola manuia le anofale" - and how language can affirm our identity.

Alice is here talking about what happens when the poetry and theatre worlds collide. She also reckons you should check out Dominic Hoey's new show at Basement, 45 Cents An Hour. Whakarongo mai! 

Dr. Ritesh Shah comes into the studio to talk his work researching the effects of conflict on Palestinian children. Whakarongo mai. 

The Mayor is on the line and today he chats to Rachel about the Harbour Bridge bike lane protest, the Auckland fuel tax, and a fast-tracked development project in Drury. Whakarongo mai! 

Kraus has a new record out now called 'Chocolate, Candy, Love and Dreams' and he popped in to have a chat about it and the gig he is playing with Strange Stains and deepState. 

Rainbow activists are calling for a Rainbow Ministry, to help address the disparities our LGBTQITakatāpui+ communities face here in Aotearoa. 

Max Tweedie, Director of Pride says change is happening, but that a dedicated Government agency would ensure further progress is made. 

"The government has an opportunity to use its majority to establish a Rainbow Ministry and secure resourcing for our communities for years to come."

We started the interview discussing the 2021 Budget, which Tweedie says was underwhelming.

On today's Wire:

Felix speaks to Green co-leader James Shaw.

Jess Hopkins interviews Max Tweedie about calls for a Rainbow Ministry

On Stranger Than Fact: Felix asks the question "are Giants real?"

Jess also talks to activist Mike king about changing our approach to mental health in Aotearoa.

Lastly, she talks to Emeritus Professor Manying Ip about the importance of including Chinese New Zealanders within the new history curriculum.