95bFM: The Wire

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin chats with us about food waste and strategies for limiting food waste and E.coli being used to create rainbow dye.

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

Christmas Lights at MOTAT - experience Auckland’s most magical Christmas lights - heritage trams, festive music, Santa visits, and thousands of sparkling lights Tickets at motat.nz 

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health released its HIV Monitoring Report to mark World AIDS Day.

The report tracks New Zealand’s goals towards the country’s National HIV Action Plan 2023-2030.

News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Peter Saxton, an Associate Professor in Social, the School fo Population Health and HIV researcher at the University of Auckland, about the report, and where the country is at in combating HIV transmissions.

Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.

As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year.

For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.

This week on the Tuesday Wire:

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin chats with us about food waste and strategies for limiting waste, the five stages of brain development, and scientists using E. coli to create rainbow dye, thanks to MOTAT.

For our weekly catchup with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about the substantial changes to region councils, and Health Minister Simeon Brown’s calls to decentralise Health New Zealand.

For Green World, Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week’s wildlife conference in Queenstown.

Producer Vihan spoke to Sam Pilisi, a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Auckland, about his study on burnout within New Zealand-born Pacific communities.

And Joel spoke to Peter Saxton, an Associate Professor in the School of Population Health and HIV researcher at the University of Auckland, about the Ministry of Health’s HIV Monitoring Report.

Whakarongo mai!

Starting in December, the government is banning new prescriptions of puberty blockers to adolescents. 

However, concerns have been raised about the effect this ban will have on the mental health of these individuals – research suggests that the medication reduces mental health distress in transgender youth, a community that is already vulnerable. Banning the drug may have adverse affects in this same vein.

Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Professor in Pediatric Endocrinology at the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland, Paul Hofman, about the ban, and what it means for the mental health of our transgender and gender dysphoric youth.

This week on the Monday Wire:

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Host, Joel, spoke to MP Simon Court about the shake-up to regional councils, and the Justice Committee recommending the Electoral Amendment Bill pass.

Producer Alex spoke with Research Fellow at the department of primary healthcare and rural health at the Dunedin School of Medicine, Dr Geoffrey Noller, about the roll out of roadside drug testing for substances such as Marijuana beginning in wellington, and what it means for road safety and legal Marijuana users.

And Alex spoke with Professor in pediatric endocrinology at the Liggins Insititute at the University of Auckland, Paul Hofman, about the governments ban on puberty blockers, and what it means for the mental health of young trans people.

Whakarongo mai!

The government has recently announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.

The ‘shake-up’ of regional councils has left concerns that the move would water down environmental regulations at a local level, reduce Māori and iwi voices in decision making, and would result in central government overreaching into local politics.

As well as this, Parliament’s Justice Committee has recommended passing the Electoral Amendment Bill, albeit with some amendments

For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with the changes to regional councils.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to marine microplastics researcher at the University of Auckland, Dr Samantha Ladewig, about the impact of car tyres on microplastic pollution in marine environments and what the potential solutions are.

New research shows the potential of gene therapy to rescue heart function in a type of heart failure that people with diabetes are more likely to experience. 

The type of heat failure that diabetes increases the risk of is currently difficult to treat, but the latest research offers new hope. 

Wire Host Caeden spoke to University of Auckland Associate Professor Dr Kim Mellor about her work on this research and what the next steps are for it to turn into a viable treatment. 

The Government has proposed to abolish regional councils, with city and district councils taking over these duties instead.

Labour Party MP Duncan Webb has introduced a member's bill to repeal the Regulatory Standards Act.

And the Reserve Bank has cut the official cash rate, bringing it to its lowest level in three years in an effort to support economic renewal.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these issues.