95bFM: The Wire

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni about the government removing voting rights from prisoners and the strikes happening across Aotearoa for May Day today.

For International Desk, they spoke to Aleksi Toiviainen, co-organiser for Vote16 Canada and a democracy advocate, about the recent Canadian election result.  

And they spoke to University of Auckland Associate Professor Brendon Dunphy about the threats facing seabirds in Aotearoa and the recent Oceania Seabirds Symposium.

For City Counselling, Producer Sara spoke with Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson about the Waitākere Ranges management plan

She also spoke with Professor of Health Economics Paula Lorgelly about the latest review of Pharmac.

This week, a University of Otago led study found that autistic pupils are significantly less likely to attend school regularly, particularly at a young age.

The researchers of the study had information on 654,438 pupils, of which 8427 were autistic. They found that autistic pupils' regular attendance was 55.3%, compared to 62.5% for non-autistic pupils. They also found that autistic students would experience about 78 fewer school days on average per year compared to their non-autistic peers.

Lead author, Dr Nick Bowden, of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, has said that "it's important to remember that behind the data are real children, whānau, and educators, trying to make it work, often without the tools or support they need".

Producer Max spoke with Larah van de Meer, Research and Advocacy Manager at Autism New Zealand, about the recent study by the University of Otago.

The change to subsidising teachers registration fees has been well received by teachers across the country. A long anticipated change, it should eliminate a barrier to new teachers and a hurdle for existing teachers to cover.

Education minister Erica Stanford also recently announced new classroom upgrades across the country to areas facing more overcrowding. Many schools across the country face overcrowding as an imminent issue, forcing students into hallways, libraries, or other extra rooms. 

To discuss the change to teachers registration fees, overcrowding in schools, and what can be done to address these issues, Tuesday Wire Host Castor spoke to president of the Post Primary Teachers Association, Chris Abercrombie.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis made her Pre-Budget speech, in the leadup to Budget 2025, in which she announced that the government would be halving the operating allowance from $2.4 Billion to $1.3 Billion, going to a select number of government departments that Willis has described as “the most important priorities.”

The PSA have referred to the government’s cuts to the operating allowance as an “irresponsible recipe for failure” for the health system and public sector and plan to strongly oppose any job cuts for public servants or health workers.

Oto spoke with PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons to discuss the government’s pre-budget announcement.

Gaza currently has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, with over 23,000 children having sustained conflict-related injuries, and many thousands facing disabilities and needing long-term rehabilitation.

This week it was announced that UNICEF would be launching a groundbreaking project to 3D print prosthetic limbs for war-injured children in Gaza, thanks to funding from the Federation of the Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ).

To talk about this project, as well as the impacts it could have on the children in Gaza, Producer Max spoke with the Head of Communications at UNICEF Aotearoa, Tania Sawicki Mead.

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March, Oto spoke to him about the government’s pre-budget announcement and cuts to the operating allowance, as well as the government rejection suggestions to review carbon subsidies and the Greens’ call to ban engineered stone products.

He spoke to PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimmons (Fit-Simons) for a follow up conversation about the pre-budget announcement.

And, for this week’s Get Action! He speak to Volunteer president of the Associated New Zealand ME Society Fiona Charlton about a petition to roll back the government’s benefit cuts for people experiencing long term hospitalisation.

Max spoke to Tania Sawicki Mead, Head of Communications at UNICEF Aotearoa, about the announcement that UNICEF would be launching a groundbreaking project to 3D print prosthetic limbs for war-injured children in Gaza.

And he spoke to Larah van de Meer, Research and Advocacy Manager at Autism New Zealand, about the recent study by the University of Otago, that showed that autistic pupils attend school at a noticeably lower rate than non-autistic students.

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science, our expert, Doctor Cushla McGoverin talks to us about a tree climbing salamander, lab grown teeth, and an early warning for volcanic eruptions. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor about transport upgrades in Northwest Auckland and subsidies to teachers registration fees. 

Also on education they spoke to president of the Post Primary Teachers Association, Chris Abercrombie, about the subsidised teachers registration fees and new classroom developments for overcrowded schools. 

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the National Secretary of the New Zealand Residential Doctors’ Association, Dr Deborah Powell, about the organisation’s concerns for the regulation of physician associates.

Joel also spoke to Virginia Braun, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Auckland, about New Zealand’s traveller status to the US being ‘exercised increased caution,’ and what they recommend for those visiting or transiting in the United States.

The government has reviewed travel advice for those heading to the US, however, this status remains at ‘exercised increased caution’.

This comes alongside multiple cases of tourists visiting or transiting through the US being detained, strip-searched and deported, despite having adequate legal documents.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Virginia Braun, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Auckland, about New Zealand’s travel advice to the US, and their recommendations for developing a travel risk assessment before travelling to, or through, the country.

Recently, the government has announced regulations for physician associates, or PAs. Minister of Health Simeon Brown says regulating this role "demonstrates the Government's commitment to patient safety and providing high quality care".

The aim of regulating PAs would allow for more workers in the medical sector, and to entice overseas workers to fill gaps in rural practices.

This move has faced backlash over concerns physician associates do not have the adequate medical expertise. 

In the UK, there have been multiple reports of medical malpractice resulting in patient deaths, which resulted in the launch of an independent review into the safety of PAs.

Currently in Aotearoa, Simeon Brown says there are 50 PAs across 29 different clinics.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the National Secretary of the New Zealand Residential Doctors’ Association or the NZRDA, Dr Deborah Powell, about her concerns with this announcement.

The government's proposed changes to ECE regulation have sparked concern among many early childhood educators. 

The New Zealand Education Institute or NZEI says called it a backwards step. Adding it will result in qualified teacher requirements watered down, safety criteria withdrawn, and quality teaching standards removed from centres’ licensing requirements. 

NZEI says “ECE centres' profit margins are the winners here. Tamariki and teachers are the losers.” 

Producer Evie spoke to early childhood educator and early childhood representative on the NZEI National Executive Zane McCarthy about why the proposed changes are such cause for concern.