More issues have arisen around the government’s School Lunches programme.
Multiple schools have raised concerns over whether the lunches are Halal certified. The school lunch collective eventually confirmed that the lunches were ‘Halal friendly’ rather than certified.
Halal is an Islamic dietary standard referring not only to the food, but the way it is stored and prepared. Without a certification this can not be confirmed.
David Seymour has responded to concerns by saying he did not believe the expense of going fully halal certified would be justified. Under the previous system schools were able to choose their providers, letting them use Halal certified kitchens, but now they are left with no choice.
For their weekly catch up, Producer Evie spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about these continued issues with the programme.
They also spoke about Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden’s refusal to meet with the Council of Trade Unions, Aotearoa’s largest union organisation.
Concerns have been raised regarding Aotearoa’s tax model, regarding charities also operating as businesses.
Despite the current model requiring all profit obtained through a charity's business not be used for personal gain, this is a little bit of a grey area.
For example, any profit from weet-bix cereal products is tax exempt, due to Sanitarium Health Food Company being owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which results in the company having an advantage over their competitors.
However, with the 2025 Budget set to be released later this year, changes may be made to this system.
News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to a Senior Lecturer in the Accounting Department at AUT, Ranjana Gupta, about this tax model, and what she hopes will come out of the 2025 Budget regarding this.
They started off by asking her about what purpose a charity may have to run a business as well.
On the show last week, in our weekly catch up with the ACT Party’s Simon Court we discussed comments he had made about period products.
Court came under fire in the media following a hearing on benefit sanctions. During this hearing a female submitter was outlining concerns about period poverty and the impacts menstrual products can have on a low-income family budget.
In response to these concerns Court asked if she was aware of, or had people around her aware of, a menstrual cup - outlining its cost and where to buy it. He was heavily criticised by Te Pati Maori, and later Labour for ‘mansplaining’, calling his comments ‘deeply offensive’ as he continued to double down.
During our interview last week he stood by his comments.
Period poverty action group, Dignity NZ says that Court’s comments were misplaced, and ignore a variety of issues that come with periods.
Producer Evie spoke to Dignity NZ interim CEO Taslim Parsons about period poverty in Aotearoa and how it needs to be addressed.
Recent Stats NZ findings have shown that there is likely an additional 36,300 children living in material hardship, compared to 2022.
In 2018, the Child Poverty Reduction Act passed, which received cross-party support, helped in creating a downward trend in these statistics. However, these Stats NZ findings show that there has not been any substantial changes to the nine poverty measures from June 2022 to June 2024.
Overall in Aotearoa, an estimated 156,600 children are living within these conditions, which is roughly 1/7th of the population.
News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Executive Officer for Child Poverty Action Group, Sarita Divis, about what has caused this increase, and what the government should be doing to tackle these concerning findings.
Firstly, they started off by asking her about what reasons there might be for this upward trend in recent years.
Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, and Producer Evie, in studio to discuss kiwis moving overseas to work!
Hey there be-boppers. Blind Mango Chutney in the chair for a cracking 95bFM Jazz Show showcasing hard bop, be-bop, acoustic jazz, and even (gasp!) yacht rock.
Band leader and drummer Taylor Griffin drops in the studio on his way to play Music in Parks at the Auckland Domain band rotunda, to talk about inspiration, influences and recent projects—including his new EP ‘In Green’ (featuring Nathan Haines). And Blind Mango finishes up (perhaps?) his stories about the Dave Pike Set.
And of course don’t miss the Gig Guide, for all your upcoming jazz news and grooves around town.
Playlist
Stanley Turrentine - Gibraltar
Jamaaladeen Tacuma - The Creator Has A Master Plan
The Section - Smilkin' Ed
Taylor Griffin - In Green (feat. Nathan Haines)
Taylor Griffin - Magnetic (feat. Nathan Haines
David Grisman - Brazillian Breeze
Volker Kriegel - Funk You Very Much
The Dave Pike Quartet - Why Not
Dave Pike - Samba Lero
Dave Pike Set - Mathar
Kim Patterson/Adam Ventling - All The Things You Are
95bFM 
