The Green party recently made renewed calls to the government to sanction Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestine following the seizure of the Madleen, a vessel that aimed to deliver food and medical aid to Gaza.

The vessel, which was en route to Gaza, was intercepted in the Mediterranean by the Israeli Defence Forces before being rerouted to Israel with all those on board, among whom was Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford recently announced the Parent Boost Visa, part of the government’s self-described commitment to supporting parents living overseas to visit and stay with their families here in Aotearoa.

And, over in the United States, 2000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines have been deployed to Los Angeles in response to protests opposing the city’s recent immigration raids.

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about all of these issues

This week the boys try doing some accents.

RIP SLY, THE GUY 💜

For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March, Oto spoke to him about the seizure of the Madleen freedom flotilla by Israeli Defence Forces and the greens’ calls for Sanctions on Israel, The government's new Parent Boost Visa and the unrest in Los Angeles opposing the US immigration policies and how it could impact immigration policy here in Aotearoa.

For this week’s Get Action! Oto spoke to Sue Coutts from Zero Waste Network New Zealand about a petition calling for Aotearoa to be kept incinerator free.

And he spoke to Neal Curtis a professor in the Faculty of Arts and Education at the University of Auckland to discuss why “reclaim the wealth” is a better phrase than “tax the rich.”

Max spoke to Brigid Carroll, a professor at the University of Auckland, to talk about the traits that make an effective leader.

And he spoke to Heemi Kapa-Kingi, Co-Founder of the ‘Soften Up Bro’ movement, to talk about men’s mental health.

Featuring a great deal of fun, giveaways and great chats. Including... 

Steve Abel from the Green Party joins Milly and Tuva'a to chat about the alternative budget and Shane Jones's mineral export plans. 

Not one, but two special announcements!

Thanks to Atomic!

In the wake of increasing global inequality, discussions about taxing the world’s wealthiest few and the redistribution of wealth are becoming more prevalent.

However, the concept of wealth taxes are often stigmatised by proponents of neoliberalism, often likening taxation to a form of theft.

Discussing the idea of wealth taxes and redistribution is Dr Neal Curtis, a professor in the Faculty of Arts and Education at the University of Auckland who says “reclaim the wealth” is a better rallying cry than “tax the rich.”

Amidst Israel’s war on Palestine, France and the UK are preparing to recognise Palestinian statehood. There have been debates about whether New Zealand should follow, or whether it should be considered a priority.

147 out of 193 United Nations members have recognised Palestinian statehood. Producer Faith spoke to Justice for Palestine NZ co-convener Kate Stone about why she believes our government should join them.

These past few weeks in politics have seen various issues that we spoke about in our weekly catchup with the National Party.

First up, at the Aotearoa Music Awards, National MP Chris Bishop was heard making disdainful remarks such as “what a load of crap” during a performance by singer Stan Walker. 

Second, Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngārewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi were recently suspended from parliament for 21 days for their haka protesting the Treaty Principles Bill. The penalty is far harsher than any previous penalty for an MP, raising questions about whether it is justified or sets a dangerous precedent. 

Finally, the government recently announced a new visa for parents of migrants, allowing them to come to New Zealand for a longer period of time than traditional visitors without having to acquire residency.

Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues in our weekly catchup with National’s Tom Rutherford, starting with Chris Bishop’s comments at the AMAs. 

Another Rātu Drive with Nick and Rosetta in the bag! Today on the show, the duo catch up with Josh for your bi-weekly space news scoop on Spaced Out. There's also news, weather, surf, a recap of the ripping SRN Top 10, and plenty of music! Plus some yarns about what the texters are having for dinner, because who doesn't love a bit of kai inspo? 

Thanks to The Beer Spot!