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Recently, Tōtara hospice in South Auckland announced they would be reducing their patient intake and services by almost a third due to funding gaps.

This announcement follows a hiring freeze the hospice had to put in place last month.

The Hospice helps provide end-of-life care at no direct cost to patients, and is the subject of an upcoming documentary series called ‘Hospice Heroes’.

While Minister of Health, Simeon Brown, has said that funding to the sector increased by 3% this year, representatives of the hospice have said that those figures weren’t nearly enough to cover the costs of their services and that other palliative care centres across the motu were experiencing similar pressures.

News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with Ed Boswell-Correa from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation about the service cuts at Tōtara hospice and how the sector at large is being affected.

Extreme weather events such as the recent Tasman floods, are becoming more common in New Zealand. With that, the risk of severe flooding is only increasing.

The question is: how prepared is Aotearoa for the next severe flood and what action is needed to prepare for it? 

Producer Max spoke to Dr. Iresh Jayawardena, a lecturer in Urban Planning at the University of Auckland, to talk about New Zealand’s lack of awareness when it comes to floods and why short term planning has left many areas vulnerable to severe weather.

This week on the Wednesday Wire:

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the Green Party's call to Cabinet to drop the Regulatory Standards Bill after it concluded hearings at select committee, The government's decision to return 10 polytechnics to "regional governance" and The Green Party's decision not to stand a candidate in this year’s Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.

Producer Max spoke to Dr. Iresh Jayawardena from the University of Auckland, to talk about what action New Zealand should take to prepare for future floods.

Joel spoke with Ed Boswell-Correa from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation to discuss the cuts to services and patients at Tōtara hospice.

And Max spoke to Nic Rawlence from the University of Otago, to talk about Colossal Biosciences’ project to de-extinct the South Island Giant Moa.

Whakarongo mai!

This is Jaycee's second time hosting the show while Oto is recovering from his recent trip, playing not one but two different vibes packed in one show tonight! Showcasing new shoegaze indie to heavy techno music from asian artists based in Aotearoa and beyond the asian disapora. 

Last week Pharmac workers announced their first-ever strike over cuts to annual pay increases and deteriorating work conditions. Also last week, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation announced plans to strike on July 30th. The nurses' strike follows concerns around understaffing and overcrowding, with many staff members facing burnout. 

These two issues have been attributed to similar causes - not enough funding in the health sector, which is forcing redundancies, increased hours, and understaffing. While the government has committed extra funding to the health sector in the last two budgets, critics say the funding is inadequate and barely catching up to existing deficits. 

In our weekly catch-up with the National party, Wire host Castor asked Tom Rutherford about health funding and the government’s plans moving forward in light of the two recently announced health workers' strikes.

Alphabethead AKA David Morrison dials in for a kōrero with Milly and Rosetta about his new track 'I'm Lucy Lawless' - an epic launch of his latest electronic music collection, complete with a Xena: Warrior Princess war cry! The trio also catch up about Alphabethead joining the Sun Return whānau, and what we can expect from new music. Whakarongo mai nei!

Today on Ready Steady Learn, Rosetta and Milly are joined on air by Dr. Sereana Naepi, who is an associate Professor of Sociology at Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland. Sereana was an editor on the newly published book Oceans Between Us: Pacific Peoples and Racism in Aotearoa - an unflinching examination of racism in NZ, featuring essays from 13 Pacific academics analysing racism across education, health, justice and society. Whakarongo mai nei!

Thanks to The University of Auckland.

This week on Dear Science, our expert Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about lightning created from peeling tape, talcum powder causing cancer, and a new type of nitrogen. 

Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!

ACT Party leader David Seymour announced plans to address the supermarket duopoly at the party summit on Sunday. Seymour proposed that international competitors haven’t begun operations in New Zealand due to restrictive approval processes. 

Seymour says that while his opponents have proposed breaking up the duopoly or imposing taxes, his solution of introducing a third competitor would be the only truly effective answer. 

Wire host Castor spoke to Emeritus Professor of Economics, Tim Hazledine, about his thoughts on Seymour’s proposal and alternative solutions to break up the New Zealand supermarket duopoly.

It's bFM Breakfast with Milly and Rosetta! Today on the show, the pair chat with Alphabethead about his epic new track 'I'm Lucy Lawless' and signing to Sun Return, and Dr Sereana Naepi is on the show for Ready Steady Learn, to chat about her work on the newly published book 'Oceans Between Us: Pacific Peoples and Racism in Aotearoa'. Plus, Short Player with The Circling Sun thanks to Hunter and NZOA, news, weather, surf, and plenty of tunes! Whakarongo mai nei!

Thanks to Atomic!