The Wire with Joel

Last week, the Fast Track Amendment bill left the select committee process after just 10 days. The report on the amendment, by the Environment Select Committee, recommended no changes to the amendment on account of time constraints and other planned amendments.

However, this goes against the fact that this amendment, and the earlier fast track bill, have proven to be exceptionally unpopular. The original bill saw a massive amount of protest, and submissions to the select committee, expressing concern over the bill and its effects on the environment and Iwi.

This time, the amendment was only given these 10 days, and still saw over 2,500 individuals and groups making submissions, but the committee still saw fit to ignore these concerns.

Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Chief Advisor at Forest & Bird, Richard Capie, about this select committee report, and what it says about the government avoiding accountability and public opinion to push through changes like the bill.

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 the government choosing not to go ahead with the Climate Change Commission’s recommendations on how to reduce methane emissions.

Producer Alex spoke to Lisa Ellis, a Professor in Philosophy at the University of Otago, about the government’s decision to reject the climate change commission’s recommendation to include shipping and aviation emissions from our national emissions targets, and what that means for our Paris Agreement commitments.

Joel spoke to Boyd Swinburn, a Professor of Population Nutrition and Global Health at the University of Auckland and Co-Chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa about San Francisco's lawsuit against companies producing highly-processed food, and what we could see as a result here in New Zealand.

And Alex spoke to Chief Advisor at Forest & Bird, Richard Capie, about the Fast Track Amendment bill, the lack of engagement with feedback in the Environment Select Committee’s report recommending any changes, and what it means for our environment.

Whakarongo mai!

Tāmaki Makaurau’s council budget is among those impacted by the proposal of a rates cap, considering Tāmaki’s average 5.8% annual rates increase across the 25/26 financial year. 

Youth homelessness is a growing concern as discussions continue around “move on” orders for those without housing in Auckland’s CBD.

And the Skycity Convention Centre is set to open in 2026, with high hopes for what it may bring for Tāmaki Makaurau after its prolonged development.

Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Counsellor Fairey about these topics.

WIPCE, or the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education, is a triennial conference that “celebrates the sharing, promoting of, and advocacy for Indigenous-based initiatives through holistic educational efforts.”

WIPCE 2025 took place here in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to WIPCE 2025 Co-Chair, Professor Meihana Durie (Ranitāne, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, and Kāi Tahu) about his reflections on the conference.