The Wire with Castor

This week on The Wire for Rāapa Wednesday!

Joe looks at temporary flood levy’s for higher earners due to damages caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. Joe speaks to Jonathan Barrett, Associate Professor in Commercial Law and Taxation at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington

Stella then speaks to Gaby Evans, a  Communications Intern at Able, about the perspective of someone who’s deaf and uses captions, as the Listen Up conference is happening very soon in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Arno chats to Professor Simon Malpas of the University of Auckland’s Implantable Devices Group about one of the world’s first brain-implantable devices for people suffering from hydrocephalus.

Stella talks to Katja Phutaraksa Neef, Erin and Banaban delegate Jack about the forced displacement of the Banaban community and their ongoing human rights struggles as well as a new art exhibition titled "Justice for Rabi: The Story of Banaba".

Finally, Joe speaks to Emma Carroll from the University of Auckland about climate change pushing Tohorā southern whales to forage further for food.

That's us for the Wednesday Wire!

Today on the Tuesday Wire Milly speaks to Xavier Walsh co-president of Unite Unions, a union organisation representing workers in both the hospitality and entertainment industries. The organisation is behind some highly sucessful wins such as abolishing the zero-hour contract for fast food workers, and is currrently leading the change on fair pay agreements for hospitality workers. Milly explores the importance of the ability to unionize with Xavier. 

In times of crisis, arts, culture and creative experiences play an essential role. But according to James Wenley, a lecturer in the theatre programme at Victoria University of Wellington, the arts and culture in Aotearoa are in a cycle of crisis.

Why are we in this cycle? And how do we break out of it? Daniel Teunissen spoke to Wenleyabout this.

There are 38 organisations who are issuing a public call for Auckland Transport to urgently deliver the long overdue inner west cycle lanes and street improvements. Six of those are schools that want safer street for their students, there is the Grey lynn residents association, there are several businesses from ponsonby and K road that support the improvements and there are advocacy groups.

The Waitematā Safer Routes (also known as the Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements) is the project that hangs in the balance. It has been paused and this spawned criticism from the community who urge to continue the Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements.

The Waitematā Safer Routes are a vital link between the adjoining projects. Dropping the middle project would mean network benefits were lost, and the schools and communities of the inner west would be left disconnected. 

There are 56 letters in support of Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements, while there are 6 letters opposing the  improvements. 

Daniel spoke with Mike Lee about his thoughts on the inner west cycle lanes and street improvements.