Recently the Government has announced a housing stocktake report with the intention of collecting data on housing issues such as the rental market and homelessness. Joel talked to James about this, as well his views on whether we should be selling the state-owned television station TVNZ.
This Saturday, Save Our Unique Landscape or SOUL have organized a hikoi along K Road. The event, Te Karanga a Hape Hikoi aims to raise awareness about the group’s campaign to save Ihumatao in Mangere from development, while symbolically connect Ihumatao with K Road through the shared story of Hape. They hope the Hikoi will alert their struggle to more people in the CBD who might not be aware of Ihumatao and the planned Fletcher development there. Sam Smith spoke to SOUL member Rebecca Hobbs about the event and what they hope to achieve from it.
On today's Wire we had Children's Comissioner Andrew Becroft to talk about the latest statistics on child poverty and Justice Minister Andrew Little about the new government's approach to prisons.
There's also doctoral candidate John McCaffery and Māori party co-leader Marama Fox about the recent debate around the use of Te Reo.
Finally we've got This Day in History, which this week takes us back to 1949, and the relocation of the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan.
On today's Wire we talked to Education Minister Chris Hipkins about the new government's plans for schools.
Lachlan talked to ACT MP David Seymour about the End of Life Choice Bill as well as Renee Joubert from Euthanasia Free NZ and former Labour MP Maryan Street from the End of Life Choice Society.
Harry also had a chat with Gareth Morgan about the future of The Opportunities Party.
Finally we have regular feature This Day in History, which takes us back to 1971, and the massacre of Bangladeshi intellectuals by the Pakistani Army.
We wrap up this year of Dear Science with AUT's Allan Blackman and some day drinking in the studio. Also on the menu: talks about the late soviet military officer who saved us from nuclear war, whether or not you should water down your whisky (spoiler alert: yes), the consequences of handing the responsibility of a university research to the wrong people, and how the gold of the ring on your finger came about. Finally, we mention all the great scientists who unfortunately passed away in 2017.
Last night, the Geen’s medicinal cannabis bill, presented by Chloe Swarbrick, was voted down in its first reading by 73 votes to 47. The bill went further than the government’s medicinal cannabis bill by allowing those with doctors permission to grow their own cannabis. Despite National saying some MPs would be allowed a conscience vote, all National MPs ended up voting against the bill, along with the entirety of NZ First. Lachlan spoke with Chloe about the bill, first asking her how she was feeling after the bill was voted down.
On the Wire today, Dear Science discussions involve questions around the success of fit bits, the slow turning of the earth's magnetic poles and Donald Crowhurst, who, 50 years ago attempted to sail around the world.
Will Parsonson tells us about the SpaceX launch this morning.
Tracey Martin talks about Waitangi Day.
Dr. Vincent O'Malley explains New Zealand's Declaration of Independence on Wire Worry Week where we are looking in depth at Waitangi.
Finally, Lisa Boudet explains the water crisis in Cape Town South Africa.
Joel talks to James Shaw for the first time this year. They discussed his trip to Waitangi and how the Labour Party had not yet admitted that Māori sovereignty was never ceded to the crown. They also discussed the inclusion of questions on sexual orientation and gender identity in the 2023 census and the importance of gathering statistics on rainbow communities.