bCasts

Last week, Police Minister Mark Mitchell announced the Cabinet’s decision to amend the Policing Act, to restore the right for police to collect and use images in public spaces. 

This follows a recent Supreme Court case which ruled that an image of a person taken during a traffic stop could not be used against them in an unrelated crime.

Privacy law specialist Gehan Gunasekara says the revision could extend police powers towards a “surveillance state”.

The government has also announced a change of eligibility for the jobseeker benefit to come into effect from next November — which will see 18 and 19 year olds with parents making more than a combined income of $65,529, no longer able to receive payments. 

In the June 2025 quarter, 12.9% of this country’s 15 to 24 year olds were not in jobs, education or training, and despite claims by Prime Minister Chris Luxon, employers and recruitment agencies have said there aren’t enough roles for those seeking.

Finally, on Sunday the government announced their plan to change methane emissions reduction targets in New Zealand, aiming for between 14 and 24% by 2050, compared to 2017 levels, as opposed to the previous target was between 24 and 47%. 

Agriculture and Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says the decision is in alignment with evidence, as well as the practicality for farmers — but the decision goes against the Climate Change Commission recommendations to increase the targets, and has been called a “step back” for our climate targets. 

Wire Host Sara spoke with National MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, starting with the Policing Act amendment. She started by asking about the expected benefits of the change

Rosetta and Milly catch up with Desley Simpson to have a kōrero about the recent local elections, low voter turnout and her priorities for the year ahead. Whakarongo mai nei!

Today on Ready Steady Learn, Rosetta and Milly caught up with Caroline Puente-Lelievre, who's research with the School of Biological Sciences has cast light on the evolutionary origins of one of nature’s first motors, which developed 3.5 billion to 4 billion years ago to propel bacteria. Whakarongo mai nei!

A new report from the NZ Drug Foundation has highlighted the need for safer drug laws, to focus on harm reduction. Experts from the foundation believe that stronger action needs to be taken in order to combat the growing statistics of overdoses, substance abuse, and drug-related deaths.

Producer Faith spoke to the foundation’s policy director Dr. Jacek Kolodziej about how the law needs to change, and how drug addiction should be addressed