In light of our COVID-19 rāhui, Mary-Margaret asked the Minister if he was worried about the extent to which noncompliance might jeopardise our efforts. They discussed what the dispersal of patrol might look like during this crisis compared to day to day New Zealand, in which police presence is noticeably unequal across regions and suburbs.
Mary-Margaret asks the Minister about last night's removal of abortion from the crimes act; the COVID-19 stimulus package and what it says about Labour's relationship to provisions for safety nets outside of pandemics; how prisoners are being affected currently; and impacts on Pike River recovery funds.
Abortion has passed its second Parliamentary reading, so Mary-Margaret asked what the Minister's reckons are before it goes to committee stage. They also talk about two more recent amendments and nuclear disarmament.
Last week, we missed our chat with Andrew Little as he was at Waitangi, so this week, Lillian speaks to the Minister about Waitangi! They touch on Andrew's speech given fully in te reo Māori, and whether the government managed to address some of the key issues raised by Māori prior to Waitangi Day. Lillian also gets the MInister to explain his position on constitutional transformation and what he thinks the role of the Waitangi Tribunal is following comments by the opposition to eventually disestablish it.
It's Andrew Little's final Wire interview for 2019 - and his final chat ever with host Stewart Sowman-Lund.
Today, how should we be thinking about criminal justice reform? Plus, is 12-billion dollars in infrastructure spending too little too late? And what does the Minister think about a possible NZME-Stuff merger?
It’s been a massive week for Minister Andrew Little. So much so, that this chat only scratches the surface of some of the announcements he’s been involved in.
This week, the government moved under urgency to pass a piece of legislation banning foreign donations to political parties in New Zealand. Plus, a draft copy of the bill allowing for the legalisation of cannabis has been released. That’s the bill you and I will be voting on at the polling booth in September next year.
Stewart Sowman-Lund talks to Minister Little about the two pieces of legislation.
Justin talks to Justice Minister Andrew Little about the government's changes to rental laws, a new national interest test when selling assests, New Zealand First's party donations and current progress at the Pike River Mine.
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