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A new study led by the University of Otago has found that, each year, firearms injuries are costing the New Zealand hospital system an average of $1.48 million and costing the country a further $321 million in years of life lost. The researchers investigated firearms-related hospitalisations and deaths from assaults, accidents and suicide between the years 2000 and 2018. The total cost of hospital care over the 19 years was $28.2 million.

Lead researcher Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, a senior research fellow at the University of Otago, Wellington, says more than 1,000 people died and 2,115 people were hospitalised as a result of firearms incidents between 2000 and 2018. More than 80 per cent of those hospitalised needed surgery, with most of the injuries from accidents.

To talk about this study, Producer Max spoke to Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard.

Just yesterday, workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden revealed that the government had agreed to replace the Holidays Act 2003 with a new Employment Leave Act.

Under the overhaul, entitlements for annual leave, sick leave, and bereavement leave would accrue in hours from day one of employment, rather than being tied to weeks after certain periods.

Last week, Environment Canterbury (ECan) voted 9–7 to declare a “nitrate emergency,” a response to mounting evidence of groundwater contamination in the region.

And more than 5,300 people have signed the Green Party’s petition to restore Te Reo Māori names to two Wellington electorates after the Representation Commission announced that the names of the Rongotai and Ōhāriu electorates would be changed to Wellington Bays and Wellington North earlier in August this year.

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

Arli Liberman joins Rosetta in the studio this morning, for a kōrero about their recent album made in collaboraiton with Rhian Sheehan, Traces, and their recently announced tour this November! Tickets are on sale Thursday September 25, from loop.co.nz. Whakarongo mai nei!

Amid the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, a growing number of nations, including Western allies such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and France, have announced their recognition of a Palestinian state. These moves have intensified pressure on New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, to follow suit.

But with Israel’s war on Gaza now into its second year, and the Palestinian death toll surpassing 65,000, many Palestinians, experts, and advocates argue that recognition alone is not enough. They describe it as symbolic at best and instead call for stronger international measures, such as sanctions and arms embargoes against Israel. 

Meanwhile, the very notion of a two-state solution is being challenged, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to expand annexation and settlement in the West Bank in retaliation against countries that recognise Palestine.

I spoke with Dr Ritesh Shah, Senior Lecturer in Critical Studies in Education at the University of Auckland, about why the current wave of countries recognising Palestine is seen as largely symbolic, and what more meaningful steps the international community should take.

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Last week ABC, who is owned by Disney, announced that American Late Night Host Jimmy Kimmel was to be suspended indefinitely after pressure from the FCC and President Donald Trump’s administration, over comments he made related to the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Yesterday, Disney announced that Kimmel would be re-instated, and would continue hosting the show starting today.

This follows news from July, when it was announced that CBS would be ending the The Late Show franchise at the end of this season – currently hosted by Stephen Colbert – after similar pressure from the Trump administration.

After Kimmel’s suspension, reports followed that estimated Disney had lost a reported $3.8 billion USD in market value. Along with this, many actors involved with Disney in the past and present promoted cancellation of Disney Plus subscriptions to their fans through social media, with many hundreds of celebrities, including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Aniston and Robert De Niro signing a letter where they backed Kimmel.

To discuss these events and how they impact free speech in the United States, Producer Max spoke to Stephen Hoadley, a retired professor in international relations and editor of a series of books on international human rights.

Welcome back to bFM Brekkie! Milly is sick today, so it's just Rosetta in the studio. E whai ake nei: What's Up with Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, a kōrero with Romi Wrights about her forthcoming appearances at The Others Way and Splore, and a chat with Arli Liberman about their album Traces and Aotearoa tour. Whakarongo mai nei!

Chris takes you through two hours of 100% pure gold local tracks. Brought to you by NZ On Air Music, with thanks to Big Pop's Drake Street Studios.

Emma Lydon is a pharmacy researcher at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. In Emma's research, she has uncovered the underlying environmental impact of asthma inhailers, which is a more significant issue than you would think. Whakarongo mai nei!