On the Tuesday Wire this week... 

For Dear Science, both of our usual experts were away, so Tuesday Wire host Castor and Thursday Wire host Caeden took us through a range of self-selected science stories. Spectacular! These included a study on reducing phone use while driving, potential life on mars, and komodo dragons with iron on their teeth.

In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about the abuse in state care inquiry and the government’s education funding allocations. 

They also spoke to the Post Primary Teachers Association’s junior vice president Kieran Gainsford about this education funding, and the government’s decision to put some school developments on hold. 

They spoke to Executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, Sarah Dalton, about staff shortages in the health sector and how the government is responding. 

And they spoke to senior lecturer of sociology at the University of Auckland, Dr Carisa Showden, about Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, and his comments about single women.

Producer Josef also spoke to the Chief executive for the Ngāti Manuhere settlement trust, Nicola Macdonald, about yesterday’s drop of seven million Kūtai into the Hauraki Gulf.