95bFM: The Wire

For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about Council’s opposition to fast-track developments and the City Rail Link opening this weekend. Producer Liam spoke with Dr Tom Robinson, a senior lecturer in Disaster Risk and Resilience at University of Canterbury, about landslides and flooding in Nepal and Tibet.  Producer Flo spoke with Labour MP Shanan Halbert about the current public service strike, AI regulation and datacentre building as well as the supermarket duopoly. And producer Eloïse spoke with Senior Māori Medical Advisor at the Immunisation Advisory Centre Dr Mamaeroa David about the current flu outbreak and the flu vaccine.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora recently issued a reminder that ‘many winter illnesses are still circulating in our communities’, including Influenza A. The latest outbreak is a highly infectious variant of influenza called subclade K - increasing the number of people who develop more severe illness and increasing pressure on the health system. Producer Eloise spoke with Dr Mamaeroa David, Senior Māori Medical Advisor with the Immunisation Advisory Centre, on the importance of influenza vaccination - especially for tamariki and pēpi.  

Auckland Council’s Planning Committee has voiced strong opposition to fast-track projects where the Council is unable to meet infrastructure demands. And the City Rail Link’s opening day is this Sunday, September 13. For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about both of these topics.

Before we start, we’d just like to warn that this story mentions economic abuse and briefly touches on intimate partner violence. Aotearoa New Zealand has the highest rates of family violence in the OECD.  It’s estimated that one in three women in New Zealand have experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence, with one in two experiencing these or psychological forms of abuse. Less well known is the role of economic abuse in family violence. It describes the  use of coercive, controlling, and threatening behaviour to restrict or remove a person’s financial freedom, autonomy, and security. Research shows that one in seven women have experienced economic abuse.  Given this lack of recognition, how well are we responding to economic abuse in Aotearoa? Good Shepherd, in close partnership with the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges, have put together a list of recommendations to change how we approach economic abuse. Their campaign, called ‘This Is Violence’ launched just yesterday, and is looking to raise awareness of economic abuse and push for systemic changes to prevent and respond to it. So, to understand more about what economic abuse looks like, and the changes that we can make to address it, Producer Theo spoke with Good Shepherd’s Brittany Goodwin.   If you’re interested in signing the campaign that Brittany mentioned, you can find it on the ActionStation website, or through this link. if you suspect that you may be experiencing economic abuse, you can reach out to Good Shepherd on 0800 466 370 or 09 302 1643, or visit their website. You can also contact Women’s Refuge’s crisis contact line on 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843. In an emergency call 111. Like Brittany said, even if you’re not entirely sure what you’re experiencing is economic abuse, but something feels a bit off, give them a call, they’d love to hear from you.

The United States and Iran war has been going back and forth for around 6 months now, with the attacks flaring up again this past week. As both countries escalate their attacks, Iran is working on expanding Tehran’s area of influence beyond just controlling the Strait of Hormuz. The greater aim of their plan is believed to be about pushing the United States out of the Gulf. Many are unsure how this will play out, given the number of US assets and allies in the region.  So, to learn more about what’s happening with the US and Iran, Iran’s plan to expand power and whether this strategy could actually push the US out. Producer Jude spoke to the University of Auckland Associate Professor of Global Studies, Chris Ogden.

This week on the Wednesday Wire... For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, host Manny speaks with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Greens Policy to establish a state run supermarket  - KIWIMART -  to compete with the supermarket duopoly. For this week’s Get Action, Producer Theo speaks to Jessica Keltie, who’s advocating for independent Healthy Homes certification and regular compliance audits to be required for rental properties Then, Producer Jude speaks to the University of Auckland Associate Professor, Chris Ogden, about the United States and Iran war. Finally, Theo speaks to to Brittany Goodwin from Good Shepherd, on the launch of their campaign to recognise economic abuse.    

The 2023 census found that 1.5 million people rent in Aotearoa New Zealand. For students in particular, many will be renting their place of residence. But how fit for living are these homes? Back in 2019, healthy homes standards were brought in to set a minimum standard for the condition of rental properties. These standards came into effect last year, with noncompliant landlords facing fines of up to $7200. However, a recent national survey by Renters United and ActionStation found that 18.7% of respondents believed their home was probably not up to Healthy Homes Standards. Despite evidence or verbal assurance they were compliant, 42.7% still reported problems with mould, dampness or draughts. So for this week’s Get Action, Producer Theo spoke with Jessica Keltie, on her campaign to require landlords to have independent audits of healthy homes standards. If you’re interested in signing their petition, you can find it on the Action Station website, or linked here.

There’s 47 days until voting starts in the 2026 NZ election and the issue that dominates polls remains the cost of living. Yet, year on year, the amount of food the average kiwi can put in their basket is getting smaller and smaller as the cost of food grows faster than wages. On some essential items such as butter and sliced white bread, costs have risen more twice as fast as wages over ten years. To understand why we must look at our market for food. Dominated by two big players, The first is Foodstuffs - who owns Paknsave, New World and Four Square, - the other big player is, of course, WoolWorths. Together they control between 80 to 90 % of the grocery market. They can set the prices as high as they like, and if you can’t pay for it, you probably can’t eat it.  Earlier this year the Green Party announced a bill to ban price gauging, and now they are proposing to go further. They want to establish a third big grocer in to the market, owned by the state, to compete with duopoly and would force the Duopoly to make room in the market for them. So for this week’s catch-up with the Green Party’s I asked the Greens Policy MP Ricardo Menéndez March, why they prefer a state run supermarket to a free market  

The Public Service Association has organised a major nationwide strike for tomorrow, on Wednesday the 9th September, which will include over 10,000 public servants from a range of government departments and ministries. They are, among other things, calling for better pay and working conditions.  Wire producer Liam spoke with Duane Leo, the National Secretary of the Public Service Association, about what these strikes will look like and why they are going ahead.

A review into Māori and Pacific medical school admission schemes by the Ministry of Health has been completed, but is yet to be released to the public. The report which, was part of the National-Act coalition agreement, has been seen by officials and ministers, including ACT leader David Seymour, but little information on it has been released. Seymour has claimed the report does not do what it was supposed to, and says ACT still plans to campaign on scrapping the schemes for the upcoming election. Academics are asking for the report to be released so a proper evidence discussion can be held. To discuss the report, and Māori and Pacific admission schemes producer Thomas spoke to Professor Warwick Bagg, Dean of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland.  

Climate change has been the subject of renewed debate in New Zealand’s school curriculum, raising a bigger question than whether the words themselves appear in the curriculum at all: what should young people actually be taught about living in a warming world? That includes not only the science, but questions around adaptation, political action, climate justice, and how teachers can be realistic about the future without increasing fear or hopelessness. Producer Pranuja spoke to University of Auckland Professor John Morgan about what meaningful climate education should look like, and whether schools are preparing students for the world they are likely to inherit.

This week on the Monday Wire...  For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about a social media ban, cancelled increases to the fuel excise tax, and the public service worker strike this week.  They also spoke to co-founder of Kick Back, Aaron Hendry, about the organisation’s call for the government to end rough sleeping before Christmas.  Producer Pranuja spoke to urban planning senior lecturer Bill McKay from the University of Auckland about the Government’s revised move-on orders, who public space is really for, and whether the law addresses homelessness or simply makes it less visible.  And she spoke to University of Auckland’s Professor John Morgan about what children should actually learn about climate change, and how schools can balance knowledge, action, realism and hope.

The National Party, after months of deliberation, has announced its intention to look into a ban on social media for those under the age of 16. Despite disagreement from coalition partners, National is going forward with the policy, backed from across the aisle by Labour.  Also this past week has seen National and Labour making mirrored announcements around pausing increases to the excise tax on fuel. The government has delayed its next increase to January 2028, while Labour has ruled out any in the next parliamentary term, if elected.  Finally, almost 10,000 public sector workers are set to strike on Wednesday over poor staffing arrangements and low pay offers. They say job cuts have rendered some services unable to be delivered at their previous quality, and that pay offers fail to keep up with inflation.  To discuss each of these issues News Director Castor spoke to ACT MP Simon Court, beginning with the social media ban.

The Government is pushing ahead with its Move-on Orders Bill, with select committee changes including raising the minimum age from 14 to 18 and narrowing the definition of begging to “unreasonable begging”. But critics say the changes still leave the core problem untouched using policing and public-space rules to manage visible homelessness rather than addressing the reasons people are sleeping rough or begging in the first place. Producer Pranuja spoke to University of Auckland urban planning senior lecturer Bill McKay about what the revised bill could mean for Auckland’s public spaces, and whether moving people on is being mistaken for solving the problem.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced last week his goal of ending rough sleeping in the country by Christmas. He noted the government’s accomplishments in this area during the COVID 19 pandemic, indicating that if it’s been done before, it can be done again. In response to this announcement, New Zealand youth development organisation Kick Back has called on our government to do the same and end rough sleeping by Christmas.  The call follows policies from this government cutting supports to social housing and move-on orders for rough sleepers. With the current government's policies putting increasing pressure on Aotearoa's homeless population, providing support becomes increasingly crucial.  To discuss the call, how the government has managed homelessness, and solutions Aotearoa can implement, News Director Castor spoke to Kick Back co-founder Aaron Hendry. 

The government announced on September 1st that cervical screening will become free to all women from March 1st, 2027. While there has been some dispute between National and Labour as to who the credit for this policy should be attributed to, it is a positive step towards making screening for one of the most preventable types of cancer for people with a cervix more accessible. Producer Eloise spoke with Associate Professor Michelle Wise from the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences about the potential impact of this policy and what people should know about cervical cancer.

Legislation to cap council rates has passed its first reading through Parliament.  And allegations of electoral fraud during last year's local election have emerged in Auckland for the second time, this time focused on voting papers being tampered with in the Manurewa Local Board. For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden caught up with Councillor Julie Fairey about these issues.

Labour and National are divided over whether the Reserve Bank should consider employment alongside inflation when setting monetary policy. Labour has promised to restore the Bank’s dual mandate, while National supports keeping its focus primarily on price stability. But research from University of Auckland economist Professor Robert MacCulloch suggests unemployment may have a much greater impact on people’s wellbeing than inflation. Producer Pranuja spoke to Professor MacCulloch about what that research means for the Reserve Bank debate, and whether policymakers are giving enough weight to the human cost of unemployment.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about implementing a rates cap and proposals to scrap the Climate Change Commission.  Producer Pranuja spoke to University of Auckland economist Professor Robert MacCulloch about whether unemployment harms wellbeing more than inflation, and what that could mean for the Reserve Bank’s mandate. And Producer Sara spoke to Frances Potter, the current operator of DIY Funerals, about the problems surrounding death care and funeral affordability in New Zealand.

The Funeral Directors Association are calling for death care to become an election issue this year, asserting that New Zealand is out of date when it comes to the culturally diverse and financially significant support that kiwis need. New Zealand has previously been listed in the top 10 most expensive places to die around the world, with standard funerals costing upwards of $10,000 Death without Debt founder Fergus Wheeler says this comes down to excessive administration and cremation costs, and joins the call for the government to update financial support and legislation around the issue. Producer Sara spoke with Frances Potter, the current owner of the website for DIY Funerals, who has spent years supporting individuals to circumvent some of the higher costs associated with death care. She started our interview by asking about how Frances first got involved with DIY Funerals

The government recently announced plans to move forward with the implementation of a rates cap, restricting councils from increasing rates at more than 4% at a time. While the legislation cannot be passed until after the election, the proposal currently has support from both major parties. The cap has been opposed by multiple people, particularly Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, who says a rates increase is necessary to fund the massive infrastructure spend involved with the City Rail Link. Without this funding, it becomes difficult for council to properly resource itself. Also this past week the ACT Party has announced a policy of intention to scrap the Climate Change Commission. The ACT Party has been opposed to the Climate Change Commission for a little while, claiming that it costs the government too much without offering substantial benefit. Supporters of the commission say it is one of the few organisations still committed to holding the government accountable for its climate strategies.  To discuss the rates cap, scrapping the Climate Change Commission, and Aotearoa’s climate policy moving forward, News Director Castor spoke to ACT MP Simon Court.

The government introduced the Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill to parliament on Monday, which requires platforms like Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook to take reasonable steps to check that New Zealand social media users are over 16. While the government has said there is not enough time for the Online Safety Bill to receive a first reading before the election, it has sparked debate about how to promote young people’s wellbeing online. Digital services excluded from the age restriction proposed by the Bill include messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Discord, and AI chatbots like ChatGPT. This morning Producer Eloise spoke with Jane Searle, Mana Mokopuna Children’s Commissioner, about what the Bill could look like in practice and its potential impact for rangatahi.

Te Pāti Māori has announced its election strategy, focused on candidate votes, and encouraging party votes for the broader left bloc.  They have also announced their tax plan for this election, including nine key tax changes they would like to see. ‘ The Act party has announced a new constitutional policy, which they are calling “one law for all”. And the government has announced they are going ahead with its bill to ban social media for under-16s. For Politics with Māni Dunlop, Wire Host Caeden asked about all of these topics.

The Government is proceeding with the ban on social media for under-16s through the Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill. The Bill was introduced by Education Minister and National MP Erica Stanford, but the Labour Party has said they will also support the Bill through First Reading. Wire Host Caeden spoke to Chloe Dilley, a youth advocate and host of the radio show Chloe Dilley Seeking Talents, about the views of young people on this issue. And they spoke to Dr Michael Daubs, Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications at the University of Otago, about whether a ban for young people is the best approach to regulating social media.

Auckland Council has revealed three potential options for congestion charging in the city centre during peak travel times. The National Party has backtracked on their promise to consider implementing a bed levy to fund major events and tourism infrastructure. And street performers are challenging new permit rules and what Auckland Live called a “busker exclusion zone”  in the Auckland CBD. For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden caught up with Councillor Shane Henderson about all of these issues.

News Director Castor spoke to Labour MP Shanan Halbert about a social media ban, a cap on rates increases, and reinstating the Smokefree Generation. For City Counselling, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about the next steps for congestion charging, the Government’s backtrack on a bed levy, and busking exclusion zones in the CBD. For Politics with Māni Dunlop, they asked about Te Pāti Māori’s campaign strategy, Act’s “one law for all” policy, and the government pushing ahead with a social media ban for under-16s. They spoke with Chloe Dilley, youth advocate and host of the radio show Chloe Dilley Seeking Talents, about young people's perspectives on a social media ban. And they spoke to Dr Michael Daubs, Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications at the University of Otago, about what evidence-based decision-making on regulating social media would look like.  Producer Eloïse spoke with Jane Searle, Mana Mokopuna Children’s Commissioner, about her view on the social media ban for under-16s.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a treaty New Zealand is a signatory to, is intended to guide policy around tobacco industry interference in policymaking. A new study from honorary research fellow at the University of Auckland, Melissa Jade-Gregan, has found that in many cases, politicians are unaware or actively flouting portions of the treaty, raising concerns over undue tobacco industry influence on legislation.  To discuss the study, its implications, and potential solutions for the issues it identifies, News Director Castor spoke to author Melissa Jade-Gregan.  

While the health sector has faced struggles over the past few years with overcrowding and understaffing, this year’s influenza spikes have seen the sector under particular strain. With emergency departments unable to meet the needs of patients, ambulances sometimes being rerouted between hospitals, and nurses consistently overworked, the health sector is bursting at the seams. While the government has enacted multiple policies aimed at addressing the issue, few have had significant impact.  Also in the past week the ACT Party has proposed a new working with children card, that would see those working with children in Aotearoa assessed continuously rather than once every three years. The policy is aimed at cutting costs for the public sector and ensuring safety is monitored more closely. Lastly, the government also announced last week a Detailed Business Case into a new Waitematā harbour crossing, with investigations into a tunnel, bridge replacements, or even a new bridge across Meola Reef as proposed by Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown. Transport Minister Chris Bishop believes the development, if it happens, would be the largest and most expensive infrastructure project in New Zealand history. The development is especially interesting given the recent history of CRL delays and ACT’s record of opposing large-scale government spending.  To discuss each of these issues News Director Castor spoke with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, beginning with the issues in the health sector. 

Women who attended girls-only schools are overrepresented among female engineering and computer science students at the University of Auckland compared to women from co-ed schools, according to new research. Researchers found no equivalent effect for men who attended boys-only schools, raising questions about what girls’ schools may be doing differently when it comes to confidence, gender stereotypes and encouraging students into traditionally male-dominated subjects. Producer Pranuja spoke to University of Auckland Associate Professor of Mathematics Education Tanya Evans about what might be behind the difference and whether those lessons could be applied in co-educational schools.

New Zealand’s aged-care system is facing calls for major reform, with a new Ministerial Advisory Group report highlighting significant gaps in how older people access and experience care. For Māori, those inequities are particularly stark. Māori with daily care needs are around half as likely as non-Māori to access community-based aged care, and around half as likely to enter residential care. Producer Pranuja spoke to Dr Joanna Hikaka, Director of the Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research, about what is driving that disparity, and whether the Government’s proposed overhaul could deliver a more Māori-led and equitable aged-care system.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about health sector underfunding and overcrowding in hospitals, ACT’s proposed working with children card, and the investigation into another harbour crossing.  They also spoke to honorary research fellow at the University of Auckland, Melissa Jade-Gregan, about a study she authored into New Zealand’s adherence to international tobacco lobbying regulations.  Producer Pranuja spoke to Dr Joanna Hikaka about why Māori are accessing aged-care services at much lower rates than non-Māori, and what needs to change for the system to work better for kaumātua and whānau.  She also spoke to Associate Professor Tanya Evans about why women from girls-only schools are more likely to pursue engineering and computer science, and what that could tell us about the gender gap in STEM.

The need for more extensive copyright protections for artists, musicians, writers, and other creatives whose work is used to train AI is increasingly apparent. Last year, a landmark class-action lawsuit, Bartz v Anthropic, saw authors file a suit against Anthropic for the company’s use of copyrighted material to train the company's LLM Claude, which resulted in a ONE POINT FIVE BILLION US dollar settlement. Producer Eloise spoke to Professor Alex Sims, who has a piece just out today in Newsroom on this topic, about AI copyright issues in the news and how we can respond.  

For City Counselling, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about new protections for regional parkland in Tāmaki Makaurau and Mayor Wayne Brown’s “Quick Fix” transport campaign. Producer Flo spoke with Labour MP Shanan Halbert about the proposed Meola Reef to Kauri Point Centennial Park harbour Crossing, campaign donations to political parties, low youth enrolment as well as National Party leadership debate. And producer Eloïse spoke with Dr Alex Sims, Professor in Commercial Law at the University of Auckland, about artificial intelligence and fair use

Auckland Council has gained legal protection for 700 more hectares of regional parkland, on top of the 37,000 already covered by the Local Government Act.  And Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has called on the public to submit their top easy-fix roading and transport issues.  The “Quick Fix” campaign focuses on delivering early wins as the Auckland Council takes over decision-making from Auckland Transport in October. For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about both of these topics.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about tensions in the National Party leadership, and ACT Party proposals for a local tourism dividend and voluntary student services fees. Also on voluntary student services fees, Castor spoke to president of the Victoria University of Wellington’s Students Association, Aidan Donoghue, about what such a policy could do to student life on campus.  This week, Producer Pranuja spoke to University of Otago public health researcher Dr John Kerr about medical misinformation, distrust in the health system, and how social media and generative AI can shape treatment decisions. She also spoke to University of Auckland marketing lecturer Katherine Jensen about how AI and platform algorithms influence who sees political advertising, and what that could mean for voters heading into the election.

Last week saw the National Party go through a period of suspected internal conflict, after a leadership challenge was mounted against Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Following a multi-hour long caucus meeting, Luxon spoke to media, claiming he has the full support of his caucus. National MP and former minister Chris Penk was subsequently stripped of his portfolios. The incident has raised concerns over Luxon’s ability to lead both his party and the country, especially as this is not the first leadership vote this year.  Also last week, the ACT Party proposed two new policies they would campaign on in the leadup to this year’s election. First, thanks to calls for a bed levy in Auckland, ACT has instead posed a local tourism dividend that would come directly out of central government funding. They say this dividend would be better suited to address the problem of local government funds for tourism and arts/culture, though some have been sceptical.  The second ACT party proposal is to make student services fees at universities voluntary, so that students can choose the services they’d like to pay for from a checklist.  To discuss each of these issues News Director Castor spoke with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, beginning with the National Party leadership. 

The ACT Party has announced plans to campaign on a policy of making student service fees voluntary. These fees contribute to student events, student media, and various other services across campus. The ACT Party believes it is unfair to charge students for services they may not use, instead offering a tickbox system so that people can opt to pay for the services they prefer. The policy is one ACT says would benefit students, though multiple student organisations across the country have pushed back.  To discuss their concerns, News Director Castor spoke to President of VUWSA, Aidan Donoghue, about how making these fees voluntary could impact student life on campus.

A recent New Zealand case report has highlighted the potential consequences of medical misinformation, after a nine-year-old developed serious complications when prescribed antibiotics were not used as directed. But the case may point to something broader than a single false claim online, with distrust in doctors, the health system and government institutions also shaping how people make decisions about treatment. Producer Pranuja spoke to University of Otago public health researcher Dr John Kerr about how medical mistrust develops, the role social media plays in amplifying it, and how health professionals can respond without pushing hesitant patients further away. She started by asking about the case and how medical misinformation played a role in it.

An RNZ analysis of election-year Facebook and Instagram advertising has found a clear gender divide in who is seeing different parties’ ads, with National and ACT reaching more men and the Greens reaching more women. But political parties do not have complete control over those audiences, with Meta’s algorithms also deciding who is most likely to see and engage with particular messages. Producer Pranuja spoke to University of Auckland marketing lecturer Katherine Jensen about how AI and platform algorithms are shaping political advertising, whether voters are being shown increasingly different versions of the same campaign, and whether New Zealand’s election rules are keeping up.

As we recorded our Green Party Catchup this morning, the National Party was just about to sit down for a Caucus Meeting to once again test the support for sitting party leader, Chistopher Luxon.. But what has motivated such a crisis in the party leadership? Was it the seemingly spur-of-the-moment captain calls by Luxon to rule out the Opportunity Party and put forward a third Referendum on MMP? Or was it the lack of pushback against comments from their coalition partner, NZFirst. Two weeks ago, NZFirst Leader directed comments in the House against Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan, targeting his Chinese heritage, suggesting everyone in China lied. This created a huge amount of criticism both locally and internationally, making headlines across the Globe, not least as Peters is the coalition's Foreign Minister. But consequences the minister who unleashed sho much damage? Nill. So for this week’s catch-up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March, we discuss the ructions within the National Party, the fallout from New Zealand First's racially charged comments targeting him and his colleague, Lawrence Xu-Nan, and changes to jobseeker that he’d like to see.  

This week on the Wednesday Wire... A National Party leadership vote casts its vote over the show. For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the ructions within the National Party, the fallout of New Zealand First's racially charged comments targeted at him and his colleague, Lawrence Xu-Nan, and jobseeker policy changes that he’d like to see. Producer Jude spoke to the University of Auckland, Senior Lecturer, Dr. Ulrich Speidel about what AI should be used for.  And for this week’s Get Action, producer Theo spoke to Layba Zubair on her campaign to progress affirmative consent law reform.  

For City Counselling, Wire Hosr Caeden spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about Council passing amendments to Plan Change 120 earlier this week and the Regional Historic Heritage Grant opening for applications.  For our Politics with Māni Dunlop from Te Ao Māori News, they asked about the Government scrapping Mana Whakahono ā Rohe iwi-council agreements, the latest Jobseeker numbers from the Ministry of Social Development, and rising inflation. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about inflation, Fire and Emergency NZ, and criticisms of move-on orders.

For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Greens newly released energy policies. In the first instalment of our biweekly catchup with the Opportunity Party, Producer Theo spoke to leader Qiulae Wong on her party, and the issues of crime and justice. Producer Jude spoke to the University of Auckland's associate professor of Law, Carrie Leonette, about the National Party’s promise to change consent laws.   Then Theo spoke to Dr Ritesh Shah on the recent changes to our refugee system to include 

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science this week, we chat with our experts, Professor Sebastian Leuzinger and Associate Professor Armagan Sabetian, about the statistical probabilities surrounding world cups and inhabitable planets For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Alex spoke with MP Ryan Hamilton about the Police Association’s concerns with Move-on orders, and the government requiring Local Government to plan for climate adaptation. Producer Thomas spoke with Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Auckland, Dr Basil Sharp, about NZ First's Oil and Gas Exploration policy and it's shortcomings. And Producer Liam went to the Avondale Racecourse for the final race of the season, which many think might be the last race ever, and interviewed a range of people including a local historian, the president of the Avondale Racecourse Alliance and the President of the Avondale Jockey Club, to determine how people were feeling about this race, how significant the racecourse is to locals and racing enthusiasts and what the future might hold for it. 

Workers at the Department of Internal Affairs went on strike on Monday, over a pay offer from the government which does not match the increased cost of living.  To discuss the importance of the Department of Internal Affairs, why workers are striking, and how the government is responding, Tuesday Wire host Alex spoke to National Secretary of the Public Service Association, Duane Leo.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) have released two new research papers outlining the impact of high housing costs.  The reports show that housing costs are leaving families without enough income to cover essentials, particularly as the supply of affordable rental homes decreases across the motu.  Wire Host Caeden spoke to research author Greg Waite about the findings.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Child Poverty Action Group Housing Researcher Greg Waite about two new reports from the organisation on the cost of housing.  Tuesday Wire Host Alex spoke to National Secretary of the Public Service Association, Duane Leo, about Department of Internal Affairs workers striking on Monday.  For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke with Shanan Halbert about the 6% Tertiary fee increase and Indian Prime Ministers Narendra Modi’s visit last friday. And Waitakere Indian Association released The Economic Contribution of Kiwi Indians in New Zealand commissioned by Informetrics. Pranuja attended the launch and interviewed community leaders about the impact of these figures for the Kiwi Indian Diaspora.

This week on the Wednesday Wire... For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Host Manny speaks with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the government's transport pipeline and the visit of controversial prime minister of India, Narendra Modi. Producer Toby, speaks to Massey University Politics professor Dr. Richard Shaw about the Opportunity Party’s electoral strategy. Then Producer Theo speaks to Kate Stone from Better Taxes for a better Future on how we can make a fairer tax system for Aotearoa New Zealand. Finally, Manny speaks to Director of the transport blog Greater Auckland, Matt Lowrie, about the government's change in transport policy.

Survivors of historic abuse in care seeking redress and accountability have faced a long battle, often against the State as it repeatedly delayed action and attempted to deny responsibility. Although a system of redress is in place, survivors have often been left in the dark by confusing processes, including whether they are eligible for redress, alongside inconsistent experiences and offers of settlement with the system. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Social Development was found by the High Court to not have been following its own assessment policy when unlawfully denying survivors seeking to register claims.  However, a new piece of legislation that passed its third reading late last month, and will come into effect on the 1st of August, may make things even more difficult for survivors seeking redress. The Redress System for Abuse in Care Act 2026 will establish the legal presumption that survivors who have been convicted of serious violent and sexual offences will not be eligible for financial redress. It will also mean that apologies given to a survivor of abuse in care cannot be used as evidence for fault or liability for that abuse. To understand the implications of this legislation, and the possible motivations behind it, Producer Theo spoke to the University of Auckland’s Associate Professor of Social Sciences, Stephen Winter.

Last month, the H5N1 strain of bird flu reached Australia. The government has now confirmed seven cases of the deadly disease, which mainly affects birds, but can jump to mammals too. Experts here in New Zealand now believe that the arrival of the deadly virus on our shores is now a matter of “when” rather than “if.” Our goal should be to prepare the best that we can for the inevitable introduction, which poses a threat to native wildlife and livestock alike. To discuss the threats posed by the H5N1 strain of bird flu, producer Toby spoke to Dr. Dianne Brunton, an expert in ecology at the University of Auckland.