The US government is cutting or limiting rafts of funding for science and health research.
Some of the executive actions from President Donald Trump include freezing federal loans and grants, capping maintenance costs for labs (a move that has been temporarily blocked in court), and specific cuts targeting health and climate agencies.
Sofia spoke with co-President of the New Zealand Association of Scientists and Principal Investigator in Te Pūnaha Matatini Centre of Research Excellence, Troy Baisden, about this decision, and the potential implications it could have in the United States as well as globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Kainga Ora, New Zealand’s state housing provider has been subject to deep cuts under the current coalition Government. Current housing demand demonstrates that nationally nearly 30,000 houses are required. However, most developments that were in Kainga Ora’s pipeline have since been cancelled with the most recent cut coming in Whanganui where 138 planned houses have now been cut down to 7.
This comes at the same time as the Government is trying to stimulate a sluggish housing market by offering tax incentives to property owners, lowering interest rates and opening up New Zealand’s housing market to overseas investors. This in the hopes that private developers and the market can cater to high levels of demand.
Producer Sanat talked to Vanessa Cole from the Public Housing futures campaign, a group that is trying to halt the deep cuts that are currently being experienced by Kainga Ora.
A new analysis by the Public Service Association shows that the government’s funding cuts to Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand have forced the national health body to conduct over 30 restructures over the last two years, resulting in 2,100 job cuts, along with 640 healthcare workers taking voluntary redundancy.
Producer Vihan spoke to the University of Auckland’s Professor of Nursing, Andrew Jull, about what this actually means for nurses and patients alike, and what the wider public could do to support healthcare workers.
This week National announced the social investment package, where they are investing $321 million to help improve the circumstances of those in the most vulnerable conditions. Tess Barnett spoke to Jami-Lee about this. He also spoke about Australian government who has stop subsidising New Zealanders' tertiary education from next year.
Otago University is looking to cut around 200 jobs. Producer Jack Marshall spoke to Tertiary Education Union organiser Shaun Scott talking about the proposed staff cuts at Otago University and how this might effect the students and staff.
The Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tamaki, is facing a funding shortage which may see it cutting opening hours or staff next year if the shortfall is not met.
The award winning gallery is currently open every day except for Christmas and attracts around 550,000 visitors annually.
The gallery’s Auckland Council funding has been cut from $12 million in 2012 to $6.9 million annually. Arts patron Dame Jenny Gibbs has called the current grant a disgrace and completely unsustainable.
Reuben McLaren spoke to Chris Brooks, the CEO of Regional Facilities Auckland, of which the Auckland Art Gallery is a division.
We cut in, we cut out, life goes on. Fabian's calling from the Hollywood Hills today, which makes for a rocky old landline chat about Disney's (semi-disappointing) A Wrinkle in Time and Marvel's The Avengers.
Laura Kvigstad reaches out across the ditch to speak with Radio Adelaide's Sam Smith. They talk about the media treatment of the Bourke Street attacker that framed him as a terrorist and how the homeless hero is being supported by his community after the event. Then, they're back: needles being found in fruit (this time in the form of a pear). Finally, they chart about the governt innitiative, My Health Report, and how the public has flooded the phone lines attempting to opt out of the scheme.
Druk Pak - Sim Hutchins
Deleese (Intro) - CA2+
Love Not (XIX) - Xennan
Qamyn - Nima Aghiani
Inside World - Oneohtrix Point Never
Frame Modification - Oddstep Deployment Unit
Meantime (Part 1) NVPR
Chib - Dites Safran
Apologise - Klein
Fear in Reverse - Dedekind Cut
Temporal Space I - Ross Alexander
Vertigo - Ossia
Skittering Piano - Nil By Nose
Éther - Zaumne
La Pieuvre Géante du Pacifique - Papillon
Nimiia Vibié II - Jenna Sutela
Conversations with Angels ft DJ Shadow and Chino Amobi - Dedekind Cut
The numbers are in and they point to a lot of disagreement with the Auckland City Council's proposed budget. For city counselling this week Simon spoke with Manukau Councillor Lotu Fuli. Councillor Fuli spoke in detail about the Auckland City Council's Budget and the process of budget submissions from the public. She also mentioned the problems with selling the council's shares in the airport. Simon started by asking Councillor Fuli what the numbers from the public's submissions mean with only 26% supporting full cuts and 54% supporting some of the cuts.
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