The Wire with Joel

This week on The Wire for Rātu Tuesday!

As per usual, we have Dear Science with Alan Blackman today. We talk about Ernest Rutherfod, sex and bloody mozzies. 

Jess speaks to Caitlin Wilson, a YWRC Help Centre Co-ordinator, and Dr Mike Webster about new research published by the Human Rights Commission that shows there is still a high prevalence of workplace bullying and harassment in Aotearoa, with two in five people saying they have been bullied at work. Joe also looks at this new research. He speaks to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo on the matter.

Joe also speaks to Rothman Kam, a Senior Lecturer of Food Science & Microbiology at AUT about how Avocado seeds are being used to manufacturer a new snack and his findings can be used to address avocado wastage.

That's us for the Tuesday Wire!

The Office of the Ombudsman has last week released its report on an unannounced inspection of Otago Corrections Facility from October 2020. Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand has highlighted serious concerns about ongoing human rights issues shown in this report.

Joe spoke to Lisa Woods, the Campaign Director at Amnesty International on the matter.

The Dementia Prevention Research Clinic (DPRC) study is a national, multi-disciplinary, longitudinal research study that aims to improve understanding of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia, in order to develop interventions that delay or prevent progression to dementia.  This national cohort (266 participants enrolled to date) provides an opportunity to explore potential risk or protective factors within the ethnic diversity of the Aotearoa, New Zealand population. The numbers affected by dementia in Māori are not yet known, but the number of kaumātua 65 years or older increased by 41% between 2013 and 2018 suggesting a disproportionate increase in the prevalence of dementia for Māori is expected. Ensuring inclusion of Māori is therefore critical, not only to understand their specific risk for already identified modifiable risk factors for dementia, but also because we may identify novel risk factors, and unique protective factors that can be used to promote longer healthy lives.

Joe spoke to Dr Makarena Dudley, one of the co-authors of the study, on the matter.

Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) will be holding public rallies today in five main centres to call on the Government to ensure Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand  urgently provides the funding needed to properly value Aotearoa’s Primary Health Care nurses.

Joe spoke to Anne Daniels, The President of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, on the matter.