Public sector job cuts, military-style academies for youth offenders, and the Māori wards bill w/ ACT's Laura Trask: 1st July, 2024

For our weekly catch up with the ACT party, Wire host Sofia Roger Williams spoke with ACT MP Laura Trask. She started the interview asking about the over 6000 public service roles that have already gone, or are expected to go. 

With the number expected to continue to climb, last week ACT Party leader David Seymour said he thinks the government has still not slashed enough public service roles. 

Additionally, she asked Laura about the government introducing a new Young Serious Offender declaration in an effort to reduce youth offending. 

This could see some serious youth offenders being sent to a military style academy, or bootcamp, which have been met by criticism for their failure to address root causes of youth offending. 

Lastly, she asked her about the parliamentary select committee recommending last week that the Māori wards bill go ahead. 

The bill, which would reverse changes made to increase Māori representation in local government by reverting the Māori ward rules to restore the referendum mechanism, has also been met with criticism, namely with the Waitangi Tribunal saying it breaches Te Tiriti o Waitangi.