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On Wednesday, the government announced new energy reforms in its Energy Package.

This follows a review into the sector being undertaken by Frontier Economics. Despite this, the government has decided not to follow a significant amount of recommendations within the review.

For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Court about this package, and some of the backlash the government has received from the sector regarding it.

They also discussed Samuel Leason, Rana Hamida, and Youssef Sammour, being detained in Israel by attempting to deliver aid to Gaza.

The interception of these vessels is illegal under international law, as the interceptions took place in the Mediterranean Sea between 70-80 nautical miles off of the Gazan coast.

This comes a month after over a hundred humanitarian groups have signed an open letter calling for Israel to allow essential aid into the besieged Gaza Strip. They say they are “not authorised” to deliver aid, unless they comply with tough Israeli measures.

Joel also spoke to Court about the three New Zealand detainees, and what the government is doing to get them home.

But first, they discussed energy reforms.

Over the last few months, concerns have been raised over the hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Particularly, concerns over human rights in the country, VISA worries, and accusations of sportswashing have been increasingly levied towards the country.

The relative lack of coverage of these concerns, comparatively to concerns over the previous tournament in Qatar, or those in the future in countries like Saudi Arabia, complicate the history that Football and FIFA have with questionable regimes and funding. Despite Trump Administration Policies that seem to threaten the tournament, there continues to be a lack of noise around whether or not the Three host countries should be reduced to two, removing the US.

Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Auckland, Luke Bird, about this Sportwashing, its background, and why the US and countries like Qatar are treated differently.

Rosetta and Milly are back after an epic weekend, and they're serving up your Monday Breakfast HOT! E whai ake nei: Whakataukī o Tēnei Wiki with Arini Loader, Fashun with Penelope Noir and Charli Cox, a kōrero with Joe Kaptein about his new album, Loose Reads with Suri, and Bosom Selecta with the 95bFM Jazz Show! Whakarongo mai nei!

Thanks to Eighthirty Coffee Roasters!

This week on the Monday Wire:

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to MP Simon Court about the government's recent energy reforms, and about the three New Zealanders aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla who have been intercepted by Israel.

Producer Alex spoke to Doctoral Candidate at the University of Auckland Luke Bird about concerns around Sportwashing with the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States in the midst of human rights concerns under the Trump Administration.

Joel spoke to the National President of the Tertiary Education Union or TEU, Julie Douglas, about the University of Auckland, Massey University, and the Victoria University of Wellington, all announcing they will not be using software to detect AI in student’s work, and what this means heading forward.

Following their chat with Douglas, Joel also spoke to Shahper Richter, a Senior Marketing Lecturer at the University of Auckland, about using “interactive oral assessments” or IOA’s, as a way to combat AI in testing students.

Whakarongo mai!

This week for Fashun, Rosetta and Milly catch up with Pennie and Charli Cox from Common - a charity that provides clothing for those in need, that is unfortunately closing due to lack of funding. Whakarongo mai nei!

Suri is back up in the studio for Loose Reads, and today she's chatting about Chris Kraus' latest novel, The Four Spent the Day Together. Whakarongo mai nei!

Thanks to Timeout Bookstore!

Joe Kaptein is up in the studio, chatting to Rosetta and Milly about his new album Pool Sharks - out now digitally and on vinyl! Joe also chats about his forthcoming gigs this Thursday and Friday at The Apartment on K Road. Whakarongo mai nei!

Today's 95bFM Jazz Show, hosted by Def Jim, was an absolute corker. Featuring a core of five-star tracks from post-2020 releases in the modern jazz idiom by such stellar artists as Thumbscrew, Tyshawn Sorey and Ava Mendoza, the Show also reached back to the 80's and 90's to revisit important work by the likes of Arthur Blythe and Chico Freeman, which is to mention by name well under 50% of the Great Jazz to be heard in this podcast. Unmissable. 

This week's show featured new music from Geese, Bic Runga, Joe Kaptein and more.