Earlier this week, the government announced a plan to invest $1.9 Billion dollars into corrections facilities across Aotearoa, which would be used to recruit and train staff, provide rehabilitation for inmates on remand, and the expansion of 810 new beds at Waikeria prison, which had previously been damaged during a prison riot in 2020.
For their weekly chat, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March to discuss the party’s take on the corrections investment. We also talked about the central bank’s recent Financial Stability report, as well as the Remuneration authorities decision to increase pay for MPs.
On April 17th 2024, amidst widespread international focus on Israel’s military operation in the Gaza strip, pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University in New York pitched tents on their campus's southern lawn, forming an encampment to protest against the university’s financial ties with companies associated with the state of Israel.
Despite a brutal crackdown on the protesting students, Columbia’s Palestinian Solidarity Encampment inspired the creation of 155 similar protest encampments in universities across the globe, with one such encampment having been planned outside the University of Auckland general library, organised by the University’s Students for Justice in Palestine group.
Despite the plans for an encampment, SJP reformatted the event to become a standard rally after the University threatened to call the police if an encampment be established, only allowing a general protest to be held as a form of compromise.
Oto attended the rally and spoke to members of Students for Justice in Palestine, as well as other students, attendees, and supporting faculty members who were there.
Dim makes a return to Second Guessing, taking out this week's win. On Isthmus'n That with Desley Simpson, Rachel speaks to the Deputy Mayor about Watercare's separation from Auckland Council and reduction of public bins around the city. Anna Coddington is in the studio to have a korero about her new single Kātuarehe from her forthcoming album, out in June. Robbie Nicol and Rhiannon McCall are on Stage Direction to talk about their respective Comedy Festival shows. On Ready Steady Learn, Kate Kersey from the School of Population Health is in to talk about her research into alcohol consumption demographics. Whakarongo mai nei!
For Dear Science this week Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted to us about an orangutan treating its own injury, beluga whales changing the shape of their foreheads, and the development of skin burn healing bandages from plant based materials.
In 2022, the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act amended the Human Rights Act 1993 to make conversion practices unlawful in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Led by Director of Kaitiaki Research and Evaluation and Adjunct Professor at Victoria University, Doctor Michael Roguski, the study identified interventions required to ensure those experiencing religious conversion practices have a “pipeline to safety”.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Roguski about the study, beginning the interview asking him about his research process.
She also spoke to Lived Experience and human rights advisor, Andre Afamasaga, about how Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, provides support to survivors of conversion practices and the importance of this [from 12:00].
She asked him firstly to introduce himself and describe what his role was at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata.
This week, Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about last week’s education announcement and the newly proposed “structured literacy” policy. Structured learning focuses on a skill building process, particularly effective for those who struggle with reading or have dyslexia.
The two spoke about the National government’s broader education focus, the structured literacy policy, and the recently implemented school cellphone ban.
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