The Wire with Joel

Following the 2019 terrorist attacks on a number of Mosques in Christchurch that left 51 worshippers killed, A Royal Commission of Inquiry was launched to measure agencies responses to the attack, steps needed to prevent further attacks in the future and ways to safeguard marginalised communities in Aotearoa. 

The initial inquiry was released on the 8th of December in 2020 and made 44 recommendations based on its findings.

However, the government recently announced it had concluded its response to the inquiry and that it would dismiss 8 of its recommendations, particularly ones related to firearm law amendments and crackdowns on hate speech.

For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the party’s take on the decision to dismiss 8 of the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terrorist attacks.

They also spoke about the impact of funding cuts to Oranga Tamariki on frontline services, as well as the open letter to the Green party of Germany.

On the 29th of July this year, three children were killed in a mass stabbing incident in the town of Southport in the United Kingdom. Following the killings, riots broke out across the United Kingdom, after the attacker was falsely identified as a Muslim refugee on social media platforms such as Facebook and X, formerly twitter. 

The riots have been lead by members of Far-Right British organisations such as the English Defence League, who have targeted Mosques, Muslim owned businesses and members of the Muslim community. 

Oto spoke to Dr Neal Curtis, a professor of media and political theory in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Auckland, to discuss the cause of the UK riots and the rise of the British far right.

Air New Zealand recently announced their withdrawal from the Science Based Targets Initiative and removal of carbon intensity reduction targets.

The company says the move was driven by a lack of availability and affordability for new aircraft and sustainable aviation fuels.

The announcement drew criticism from experts who say the original plan was unrealistic and that the target removal was unsurprising.

Producer Josef spoke with Professor of Sustainable Business at the University of Otago, and Co-Director of He Kaupapa Hononga, Otago’s Climate Change Research Network, Sara Walton; about the announcement, and what it means for New Zealand’s emissions reduction target.

As the conflict in Gaza continues, international calls for a ceasefire have also been highlighted. Along with calls for a ceasefire, talks between Israel and Hamas have continued for months, despite disruptions. 

However, Dr Ritesh Shah says a ceasefire alone is not enough to address systemic issues within the region. Shah’s research is into the well-being and education of children and young people in Gaza. 

Wire host Castor spoke to him about humanitarian efforts, ceasefire talks, and what else the international community could do to contribute to lasting peace in the region.

He also spoke about a series he began at the University of Auckland, which is linked below with a description:

Through guest speakers and films (including several Palestinian scholars), the intention is to provide a space for staff and students within our university to learn more about how contemporary struggles in Palestine are the product of legacies of settler colonialism, racism, capitalism, and imperialism. It is also an opportunity to question some of the orthodoxies that have held problems in their place in Palestine and begin to imagine alternative futures. The series also gives specific attention to the education project in all of this—and how it has been a source of oppression, liberation, and hope for Palestinians over time and in different forms.      

The series starts on August 1 and runs over three successive Thursdays that month (August 1, 8, 15) from 4-6 pm (note, the first session runs until 6:30 pm). Those who are interested in attending can register for one or more of the seminars at this link, where you can also find more information about each seminar in the series.