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The coalition government is planning to continue with the passing of the Ram Raid bill which was originally introduced by the labour government. 

This bill would mean that youth offenders as young as 12 years old, would be prosecuted more harshly with some potentially serving up to ten years in prison. 

Many organisations and activists have been vocal about their position on this bill from the beginning and many have now started a petition to stop its continuation.

Rawan spoke with Aaron Hendry, co-founder of Kick back, an organisation that focuses on assisting youth in homelessness and has also been heavily involved in this petition. 

Rawan asked Aaron about what the harmful impacts of this bill are and what this new opposing campaign is about.

There are at least 150,000 children in Aotearoa living under the poverty line who come from households dependent on government assistance schemes like Working for Families. 

However, as Susan St John, associate professor in economics at the University of Auckland Business School and spokesperson for Child Poverty Action group, said in a recent newsroom article, there are barriers in accessing support schemes for low-income families not found in those aimed at Kiwis over the age of 65, such as the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. 

Oto had a chat with Susan about the state of government assistance for low-income families in New Zealand, and why she believes it’s better to be old than young if you’re poor in New Zealand.

 Katie from Dateline is chatting about the band’s new single, Hands. 

As part of the ongoing discussions around the government’s recent decision to boost Pharmac funding for select drugs and cancer treatments - Oto spoke to Paula Lorgelly, professor of Health Economics and Population Health at the University of Auckland, for her perspective on the announcement as an economist.

Rob Bollix talks space brain on The Mind Trench, and shares a fantastic poem. Katie from Dateline is chatting about the band’s new single, Hands. Japes yarns about their new track Lighter Thief. Justine helps you with your union and employment queries on Red Dead Redemption. Whakarongo mai nei!

The environment committee has unanimously recommended that the Hauraki Gulf Protection Bill should be passed in its entirety. 

This means that if parliament votes for this recommendation there will be 19 new protection areas in the Tīkapa Moana Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

Many environmental organisations have welcomed this possibility and highlighted its importance. 

Rawan spoke with Bianca Ranson from forest and bird about what this new bill would mean, why it is important and how it incorporates local iwi and hapu values.

Beauty in the debris, rhythm in the rubble

~ Universal Harmony ~

Oozing a grateful ora, massaging the creative mind.

For Dear Science this week, we chatted to Professor Allan Blackman chats to us about the environmental impact of green hydrogen, chimpanzees using drugs, and the 3 Nobel laureates born today. 

Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Tom Rutherford about the government’s proposed military style bootcamps for youth offenders and public sector job cuts. 

Castor also spoke to chief executive of the Breast Cancer Foundation, Ah-Leen Rayner, about the government’s cancer drug announcements and what they mean for cancer patients. 

Producer Elle spoke to the Chair of Patient Voice Aotearoa, Malcolm Mulholland about Pharmac’s recent funding for cancer medication. 

As part of their pledge to fund 13 new cancer drugs the coalition government has given Pharmac at least $600 million.

This is welcome news to the 330,000 patients that are currently on the waiting list for medicines on Pharmac’s Options for Investment List.

I spoke to the chair of Patient Voice Aotearoa about the current state of Pharmac’s process, funding and what other reforms are needed on top of the recent changes. 

Patient Voice Aotearoa is a collective of patients, caregivers, whanau, advocates and charitable organisations that campaign for the rights of New Zealand patients.

I began by asking about the state of Pharmac funding prior to the developments.