The Southerner was a passenger express train in the South Island running between Christchurch and Invercargill from 1970 to 2002.
The train was eventually closed due a decline in passenger numbers and subsidies, although it was briefly revived in May this year for four days as part of a tourist experience.
Recently, a group of campaigners from Save our Trains launched a petition calling on the government to restore the Southerner train route as a more accessible form of travel for South Islanders.
Wednesday Wire Host Oto spoke with Dave Macpherson from Save Our Train - Southern, to discuss his petition and why the Southerner should be restored.
At a recent summit in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a number of options for New Caledonia’s potential statehood, following island-wide unrest last year over voting reforms that led to 14 deaths.
One of the options proposed by Macron involved granting New Caledonia “associated statehood” status, where the island would be largely self-governing while still being linked to the French state.
Wednesday Wire Host Oto spoke with Gordon Nanau, co-head of Maori and Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland, about Macron’s proposal to grant New Caledonia associated state status, and what this would mean for the Island’s indigenous Kanak population who have largely been seeking independence from France.
Oto and Jaycee talked to Tāmaki Makaurau singer-songwriter Beizou about her debut single "Too Comfortable," her influences and plans for future releases as she officially begins her journey as an artist.
Hearings on the regulatory standards bill are currently underway, with around 23,000 total submissions both written and oral. Early analysis of the submissions estimated 88% percent are in opposition, while only 0.3% are in support.
The bill has been pushed by Minister for Regulation and ACT Party leader David Seymour, who says it should support the government to reduce regulation and ensure the protection of individual rights and private property. The bill has been criticised for not including clauses around Te Tiriti o Waitangi or environmental protections. It has also been criticised for potentially undemocratic elements, placing large amounts of control in the hands of the unelected Ministry for Regulation.
In our weekly catch-up with the National party, Wire host Castor asked Tom Rutherford about the regulatory standards bill in light of the select committee hearings and new criticisms.
A recent study from the University of Otago shows that more than twenty percent of children in Aotearoa who’ve been infected by Covid-19 still suffer persistent, ongoing symptoms.
Producer Faith spoke to Larisa Hockey from the Long Covid Kids organisation about how long covid affects children, and how children are specifically at risk.
For Dear Science, our expert, Daniel Thomas chatted with us about rice arriving in the Pacific, native forests sinking carbon, and seaweed used for grooming orcas.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the regulatory standards bill in light of it going to select committee.
Producer Faith spoke to Larisa Hockey from the Long COVID Kids organisation about the effects of Long COVID on children, and how the issue should be addressed.
She also spoke to the CEO of Cannabis Clinic NZ, Dr. Waseem Alzaher, about the stigma around medicinal cannabis.
New research shows that two thirds of Kiwis believe there is still a stigma around medicinal cannabis usage, and that users are still subject to negative stereotypes.
Producer Faith spoke to Dr. Waseem Alzaher from Cannabis Clinic NZ about the stigma, and what steps need to be taken to normalise its usage.