The Wire with Joel

Public hearings as part of phase two of the Royal Commission into COVID-19 took place in Auckland this week.

The second phase of the inquiry has a stronger focus on lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and the impact of the Covid-19 response on business and the economy.

And yesterday, an independent reference group set up by the Ministry of Environment shared their recommendations for climate adaptation legislation.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Arena Williams about both of these topics.

This week’s second phase of the national covid-19 inquiry has seen public hearings from the community and experts talking about the wider impacts of mandates and lockdowns during the pandemic.

As health experts are urging the government to anticipate and better prepare for a future pandemic, and people in all sectors across New Zealand still work through the ongoing effects of Covid-19, this inquiry needs to inform critical decision making and processes for the central government. 

Speaking more about the inquiry and the general effects of Covid-19, I spoke with public health expert Sir Collin Tukuitonga about his research findings and the importance of pandemic preparedness, as well as Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois about the need to support businesses and hospitality in New Zealand

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.

Recently, a study was conducted by researchers at the University of Southampton which uncovered a shift in the circulation of the Southern Ocean.

The study showed that the shift would draw up more salt water from the deep ocean, subsequently accelerating the loss of ice in the Antarctic and leading to an increase of sea levels and global heating.

The week before, the government allowed the terrorist designation given to the far-right ‘Proud Boys’ group to expire, effectively decriminalising the act of funding or openly supporting the group here in Aotearoa.

And, just yesterday Finance Minister Nicola Willis confirmed a number of changes to Family Boost which she said would help families with the cost of living.

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez March to get the party’s take on all of these issues.