This week on the Monday Wire...

For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to ACT MP Simon Court about selling conservation land, youth unemployment, and arts and culture funding for Auckland’s CBD. 

Producer Thomas spoke to University of Auckland Professor of conservation biology James Russell, about the Conservation Amendment Bill.

He also talked to University of Auckland Professor Dr Sally Mackay about making food health star ratings mandatory.

And Producer Jude spoke to Auckland University senior research fellow, Dr Sarah-Jane Guild about the development of wireless brain sensors.

Charlie tests Rosetta and Milly on their Aeropress brewing technique - whakarongo mai nei! 

Thanks to eighthirty coffee roasters!

The government’s Conservation Amendment Bill includes plans to sell up to 60% of New Zealand’s conservation land. The government argues that much of this land is not your typical conservation land - rather that it includes farmland and other unused areas without ecological benefits. 

The bill’s opponents, however, say this isn’t the full story, and that the government’s criteria for sale opens room to sell large portions of land currently inhabited by our native flora and fauna. The policy also paves the way for further sales of conservation land, especially concerning because of the minimal public influence on the decision, despite the fact that it affects public assets. 

The concerns are further compounded by the release of a Curia Market Research poll this morning on public support for the sale of conservation land. Not only are the majority of the population opposed, but this opposition extends to the majority of National and ACT voters and half of NZ First voters. 

Youth unemployment is also an issue in the news cycle this week, with rates at a thirty year high. Despite this government being in power for almost three years, improvements are difficult to find. 

Lastly, last week saw announcements that Flying Out Record Store and Neck of the Woods will both be closing. These announcements follow the closure of Verona Cafe and Bar and the cancellation of The Others Way festival for 2026. With Auckland’s arts and culture funding seeing cuts each year, there are calls for the government to take action to support these businesses and communities.

For this week’s catch-up with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News Director Castor asked about each of these issues, beginning with the Conservation Amendment Bill.

After passing its first reading in May submissions are currently open for the conservation amendment bill, which would see up to 60 percent of current conservation land become open for sale as long as it's not considered important for threatened species. 

Additionally, the bill adds a new responsibility to the Department of Conservation to recognise and enable economic opportunities as much as possible from the land and resources it manages.

The bill has faced significant public pushback, with a recent poll finding that 64% of New Zealanders oppose it, including the majority of the current government coalition’s regular voters.

With submissions closing on the 2nd of July, producer Thomas spoke to University of Auckland Professor of conservation biology James Russell about the bill and its contentious proposals.

Ata mārie e hoa mā! E whai ake nei, coming up on the show this morning: Whakataukī o Tēnei Wiki with Arini Loader, This Is How We Brew It with Charlie, Loose Reads with Jenna, and your chance to win the new Menzies album on vinyl + tickets to their Tāmaki show! Whakarongo mai nei!

Thanks to eighthirty coffee roasters!

It’s another Monday Drive with Crawley and the gang. Producer Harry was here, and so was Lou! Yippee!!

Laika joined us for a bit to talk about the latest and greatest in the theatre world. Currently, some very big Bildungsroman vibrations.

Professor Emeritus Peter Lineham, of course, joined us for That’s The Spirit. Who would've guessed it, the Southern Baptists are up to some heinous shit again. Eeek!

We also chatted to the majestic and illustrious Greta O’Leary to discuss her latest single, Year of the Dog, and its accompanying music video. And booooooooy, is it a goodie!

Ngā mihi nui The Beer Spot!

Jenna is back up in the studio to chat about an exciting Pulitzer Prize winning pukapuka, Daniel Kraus' Angel Down! 

Thanks to Timeout Bookstore!

Food Standards Australia New Zealand is currently consulting on a proposal to make health star ratings mandatory, with the present voluntary system coming under fire.

Currently, only 36% of eligible packaged foods in New Zealand display a health star rating, well short of the 70% goal set by food ministers in November 2025. 

Additionally, a recent briefing by the Public Health Communication Centre had nutrition experts arguing that labels can help improve dietary choices, encourage product reformulation and strengthen transparency. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling is also recommended by the World Health Organisation.

To discuss making food health star ratings mandatory, producer Thomas spoke to University of Auckland Professor Dr Sally Mackay.

Arini joins Rosetta and Milly to share a whakataukī to take us through the week! Whakarongo mai nei!

Ka kī te pīro o ngā manu, o ngā tangata ka kata // Full guts of birds and people makes us fulfilled. 

One hundred Kiwi kids are diagnosed with a life-threatening condition called Hydrocephalus yearly. Hydrocephalus is a condition where the brain gets an abnormal amount of fluid buildup, which causes harmful pressure on brain tissues.  

The current standard treatment for it is a shunt implantation, which is a tiny silicon tube that gets inserted into the brain to drain any excess fluid into other parts of the body harmlessly.

However, these shunts have the tendency to get blocked about fifty percent of the time. And if they don’t get replaced in time the raised pressure in the brain could cause huge damage and even death. The major problem is that symptoms of a failed shunt are very common and are hard to interpret. 

To fix this, researchers have been developing an implantable wireless brain sensor, which will be able to read brain pressure wirelessly and safely at home. 

To learn more about this new technology and how it will work in the future. Producer Jude spoke to University of Auckland Senior Research Fellow Dr Sarah-Jane Guild.