The Wire with Jessica

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party Wire Host Caeden speaks to Carmel Sepuloni about pay rises for MPs and National’s new social housing policy.

They speak to Shane Henderson for City Counselling about the Palestine protests in Tāmaki Makaurau and the end of half priced public transport for under 25s.

They speak to Student Justice for Palestine Organiser Layan Khalil about the student rally for Palestine that took place on campus last night, and with Andre Fa’aoso on the student protests for Palestine in the United States.

And they speak to Dr Kirsten Zemke about the racist backlash Beyoncé received after releasing her popular country album, Cowboy Carter, earlier this year.

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins speaks to Professor Law at the University of Auckland, Claire Charters, about the United Nations Human Rights Council’s five-yearly Universal Periodic Review.

Producer Jasmine speaks Tara Jackson, Executive Director of the New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society, about the current state of animal rights protections in Aotearoa.

The Waitangi Tribunal has urged the government not to scrap Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, which legally requires Oranga Tamariki to adhere to Treaty principles and improve outcomes for tamariki Māori in state care, before allowing adequate time for an inquiry to review the legislation.

It warned repealing Section 7AA would diminish the rights, needs, and voices of tamariki Māori and cause a strong public reaction from communities.

The tribunal also summoned Children’s Minister Karen Chhour, who is responsible for the policy, which refused, and this request was overturned by the High Court.

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Lawyer and author of ‘Understanding Te Tiriti – a handbook about Te Tiriti o Waitangi’, Roimata Smail (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui, English, Scottish, Irish descent), about the importance of the tribunal as a watchdog of Crown actions which breach Te Tiriti.

Student-led Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been taking place at multiple Universities in the US, with encampments being set up on campus grounds.

Protesters are calling on their universities to divest investments supporting Israel, which United Nations experts and humanitarian organisations say is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. 

Videos have shown hundreds of students and faculty members being forcefully arrested, including Columbia University in New York and the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), and students have been threatened with suspension if they do not vacate encampments.

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Senior Lecturer of Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland, Dr Maria Armoudian about this.

The fast track approvals bill is a planned piece of legislation that aims to cut through existing consent processes for several future works. These developments include bridges, roads, and drilling, which each could infringe on conservation or protected land.

The bill has been met with backlash from members of the public, who up until the 19th of April have been able to make submissions on the bill as it goes through the select committee process. Criticisms and protests against the bill have continued in recent weeks, with many claiming that it undermines democracy and allows members of parliament to circumvent conservation laws or expert advice. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s James Meager, Wire host Castor asked him about the Fast Track Approvals Bill: whether his opinions have changed since the last time I interviewed him, how this bill affects New Zealand’s democracy, and the overall theme of urgency we’ve been seeing with the current government.