Facial Recognition Technology is an emergent biometric payment system that intends to simplify the process of paying for groceries, similar to Amazon’s ‘just walk out’ initiative a few years ago.
There are issues to this being actually adopted, mainly with fears of private security being violated in addition with information related to your face being stored within the company’s database. Additionally, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence Deepfakes, scammers could utilise this technology which is inherently linked to your face.
Sasha spoke to Associate Professor Laszlo Sajtos at the University of Auckland Business School about facial technology being at New Zealand’s doorstep.
The government recently announced a number of amendments to the employment relations act which would clarify whether a worker was legally considered to be an employee or a contractor.
The amendments included a test with four added criteria, such as a written agreement with the worker specifying they were an independent contractor and that the business did not restrict the worker from working for other businesses and requiring them to take on additional tasks and engagements among other criteria.
If a worker met all of the criteria specified in the act, they would be considered as a contractor and wouldn’t be able to challenge their employment status through the courts.
While Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden said that the changes would provide greater certainty for contractors and businesses, union members and labour rights advocates have criticised the move, saying that it would allow companies to strip away the rights of workers to boost profit margins.
For their weekly catchup, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss the recent changes to the Employment Relations Act and the party’s take on it.
They also had a korero about the Waitangi tribunal’s findings into the recent changes to the Marine and Coastal Areas act, as well as the recently released draft list of 35 minerals considered essential to New Zealand’s economy.
For this episode of episode of WALAO! Oto played a variety of Hip-Hop tracks from all across Southeast-Asia.
He also interviewed some members from the local Tāmaki Makaurau music and arts collective, The Light Beings Network, featuring artists Ray Leslie and Awggey who also joined us in the studio.
Oto also played some tracks by the Burmese Hip-Hop collective, Rap Against Junta, who use their music as a means of resistance against Myanmar's military dictatorship.
Elle chatted with Molly Payton about her debut album YOYOTTA! Molly discusses the themes of the album, collaboration with her close friends, and her new experiences performing in the UK.
Oto interviewed members of local music and art collective, The Light Beings Network, featuring Ray Leslie and Awggey, to talk about the journey as a group and the plethora of creative endeavours they're involved in.
For Dear Science, our expert Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about the ig Nobel Science prizes.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about the Waitangi Tribunal report on the government’s proposed changes to the Marine and Coastal Areas Act and about Māori wards.
They also spoke to Senior Lecturer of Urban Planning, Dr. Timothy Welch, about Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposed second harbour bridge.
And on the Green Desk, Jack Marshall spoke to freshwater scientist, Ian Kusabs, about monitoring kōura, New Zealand’s freshwater crayfish.
And producer Josef spoke to CEO of the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, Ah-Leen Rayner, about Pharmac’s proposal to fund Enhertu for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.
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