The Wire with Joel

Early last week, ACT MP, Todd Stephenson, re-lodged his End of Life Choice Amendment Bill, which seeks to expand the eligibility of the End of Life Choice Act.

This follows recommendations from the Ministry of Health’s office review into the law, which was an official requirement of the original 2019 Act. Stephenson’s bill has accepted all 25 recommendations.

National’s coalition agreement with ACT requires any proposed changes to the Act having to be progressed through as a member’s bill.

As well as this, Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche, has not ruled out absorbing ministries such as the Ministry of Women and Ministry of Pacific People into larger ministries.

In 2023, the ACT Party had campaigned on removing these ministries.

And last week, The Justice Select Committee report into four-year parliamentary terms recommended a referendum on the potential move, but had recommended some provisions of ACT Party Leader, David Seymour, be scrapped.

These provisions include an incoming government only being allowed a four-year term if the government agreed to give the opposition the majority in the select committee. This would mean that some governments would be three-terms, and some would be four terms.

For our weekly catchup with ACT MP Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to him about all these topics, starting with Todd Stephenson’s members bill.

As we venture deeper into the second half of President Donald Trump’s first year of his second term, his actions continue to sow chaos and undermine stability across the globe.

Under this Trump Administration, the US has increasingly acted as a ‘rogue state’ - a term used to denote both uncertainty in international politics, and oppressive domestic policies.

Producer Alex spoke to Associate Professor and Programme Director for Global Studies at the University of Auckland, Chris Ogden, about how Trump has turned America into a Rogue State, and how that will impact the world.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, regular Wire Host Caeden spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about four-year parliament terms, the High Court challenge against the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora, and the Public Services Commissioner investigating potential changes to several lived experience ministries.

For International Desk, they spoke to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about the current experiences of international students in the United States, especially as the Trump administration targets Universities for funding cuts.

For City Counselling this week, Producer Sanat spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about a new plan up for limited consultation to build higher-density housing within the city. 

He also spoke to the University of Auckland’s Associate Professor of Pacific Studies Gordon Nanau about the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum and the surrounding geopolitical tensions between Pacific Island nations.

The Trump administration’s crackdown on both tertiary education and immigration is creating an uncertain environment for students in the United States, particularly international students. 

It also comes as the administration has slashed research funding, rolled back protections for disadvantaged student groups, threatened lawsuits against colleges, dismantled the education department and more.

For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Yale Daily News’ Andre Fa’aoso, about what it’s like to be an international student in the United States right now.