95bFM: The Wire

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about Casey Costello’s Te Whatu Ora language directive, consultation opening on the new relationship and sexuality education draft framework, and the Treaty Principles Bill being voted down at second reading.

For International Desk, they spoke to Jean Lantz Reisz from the University of Southern California Law School about the removal of Kilmar Abrego García from the United States without due process.

Wire Producer Sara spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson for City Counselling about council amalgamation and the roles available in Auckland Council in this year’s local elections.

And she spoke to Dr Olivier Jutel from the University of Otago on the use of AI in political content, specifically ACT’s recent social media post.

UNICEF Aotearoa recently put out a response to the child poverty statistics in the government’s Child and Youth Strategy report.

Greenpeace Aotearoa recently conducted a round of water testing at a series of bore wells in the Ashburton district. 

The tests found that close to one in five private bores they tested were above the Government’s maximum allowable value of nitrate in drinking water, which is 11.3mg per litre, and that nitrate contamination had been linked to a number of preterm birth complications.

Greenpeace have also linked the nitrate contamination to the dairy industry and the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser which leaches into groundwater.

Oto spoke to Will Applebe, Greenpeace Aotearoa’s Freshwater campaigner, about nitrate contamination in the Ashburton district’s water and their calls to the ministry of health to address it.

The Accommodation Supplement is one of Aotearoa’s primary social housing support programmes.

It provides weekly financial assistance to lower-income households struggling with housing costs.

A recent study by University of Auckland has revealed that the supplement is failing to ease housing stress, with renters receiving the subsidy spending more of their income on rent than those who don’t, across all income brackets.

Producer Amani spoke to University of Auckland Associate Property Professor Edward Yiu to find out more about this research and to see what advice he has for student renters.

A report was released this week titled ‘Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand’, containing data on how much the New Zealand public trusts news organisations. While trust has been declining over the past five years, this year has seen some stabilisation and some optimistic statistics for the future. 

To discuss the report and what it means for the relationship between the public and media in Aotearoa, Wire host Castor spoke to one of the study’s authors and head of journalism at AUT, Greg Treadwell.

You can find the full report here. 

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about using physics to make a better cup of joe, inuit words for snow, and Leonardo Da Vinci’s birthday. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Nancy Lu, Wire host Castor asked about the Treaty Principles Bill after it was voted down and about a recent study into harassment of female MPs. 

They spoke to head of journalism at AUT, Greg Treadwell about the recent Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand report and how to improve relations between the public and news media.  

And they spoke to Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Education at the University of Auckland, Camilla Highfield, about Kāhui Ako, an education programme which appears to be on the chopping block.

Producer Amani spoke to Associate Property Professor at the University of Auckland, Edward Yiu, about a recent study which has found Aotearoa’s accommodation supplement to be failing to ease housing stress.

Yesterday the government announced a proposal to change the requirements when it comes to drivers licence testing. 

The announcement by Transport Minister Chris Bishop revealed the axing of the full license test, meaning drivers on their restricted licence would automatically gain their full license after 18 months. Bishop says these changes would make it ‘more efficient, accessible and affordable’ for drivers to get their licence. 

The changes come with new safety measures such as drivers needing a completely clear record for 18 months before gaining their full licence, lowering the number of available demerit points for restricted drivers from 100 to 50, as well as introducing a zero alcohol limit for all drivers on their learners and restricted, not just those under 20. 

The AA is welcoming some of these changes, but says more safety measures could be taken with New Zealand already having one of the worst rates of fatal crashes in the OECD.

Producer Evie spoke to General Manager for Students Against Dangerous Driving, Donna Govorko about the proposal, and how the group feels about the potential changes.

This week on the Monday Wire:

For our weekly catchup with Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to her about the Treaty Principles Bill being voted down on it’s second reading and the party announcing they will be running candidates in general seats in the next election.

For our weekly catch up Producer Evie spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about the Treaty Principles Bill being voted down at second reading, an ACT Party Members Bill proposing the removal of university services based on race, and research finding female MPs are increasingly receiving abuse online.

Evie also spoke to Students Against Dangerous Driving’s (SADD) Donna Govorko about the government proposal to change the drivers license testing from two practical tests, to one - removing the full license test.

And Joel spoke to the Co-convenor for Justice for Palestine, Samira Zaiton, about recent controversial comments made by Chief Human Rights Commissioner, Dr Stephen Rainbow, and the organisation's calls for Rainbow to leave his position.

Whakarongo mai.

Calls have been made for New Zealand’s Chief Human Rights Commissioner, Dr Stephen Rainbow, to either step down from his role, or be fired from his position, over accusations of Islamophobia.

These calls have been made by multiple organisations, including Justice for Palestine.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Co-convenor for Justice for Palestine, Samira Zaiton, about the controversy surrounding the Chief Human Rights Commissioner, and the organisation's calls for him to leave his position.

A new report led by the University of Otago Wellington has found high rates of abuse and harassment against female members of parliament in Aotearoa. 

Eleven MPs from across the political spectrum participated in the study which found they were regularly harassed, threatened with rape and even death threats.

The study is led by Dr Rhiannon Watson and Dr Lucy Hammans and builds on previous research into harassment of MPs. 

Thursday Wire Host Caeden spoke to Dr Lara Greaves (Ngāpuhi, Pākehā, Tararā), associate professor in politics at Victoria University, about the study and its broader context in Aotearoa and global politics.

Caeden started by asking if she could explain the key findings of the study.