The Wire w/ Joel: 25 August, 2025

This week on the Monday Wire:

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about last week’s secondary school teachers' strike, and New Zealand joining over 20 other countries in calling for “immediate and independent” foreign media access into Gaza.

Producer Alex spoke to the Associate Professor of  Marketing at the University of Otago Leah Watkins about a recent study showing the extent to which children are exposed to junk food, alcohol, and gambling marketing, and why and how we should regulate.

Joel spoke to Dr Natalie Forsdick, the President of Bird New Zealand, about a new study showing birds are singing almost an hour later due to light pollution.

Joel also spoke to Dr Rashi Parker, the Fundraising Manager of BirdCare Aotearoa, a native bird hospital based in West Auckland, about what she is seeing at the hospital, and about the wider impacts of light pollution.

And Alex also spoke with Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland, Bill McKay, about the Council’s vote to make changes to Housing Density Rules in the Auckland Unitary Plan, and how it will affect Aucklanders and public transport.

Whakarongo mai!