The Wire with Joel

Justin spoke to Health Minister Andrew Little about the End of Life Choice Act, medicinal cannabis, and ICU capacity as Covid-19 cases grow.

International Desk reports on the latest on cross-strait relations between China and Taiwan.

Justin spoke with Greenpeace campaigner Christine Rose, Forest & Bird Strategic Advisor Geoff Keey, and First Union secretary for transport, logistics and manufacturing Jared Abbott on their thoughts of the Government's draft emissions reduction plan.

Environmental groups and unions have said the government’s discussion document on New Zealand’s plan to become net zero by twenty fifty focuses too much on cutting transport emissions and instead letting agriculture and energy emissions off the hook.

The draft plan to make New Zealand net zero by 2050 includes measures to cut down car travelling and boost the number of EVs.

First Union has criticised the plan, saying its energy emission reductions relied too much on closing the Marsden Point oil refinery and it only outsources emissions overseas.  Jared Abbott is the union’s secretary for transport, logistics and manufacturing and he spoke to Justin Wong.

This week, Zazi speaks to Brooke about the vaccine mandate for teachers and most healthcare workers, as well as the Government signing an advanced purchase agreement for the new Covid-19 treatment pill Molnupiravir.

In the first half, Zazi asks Brooke about whether she believes the vaccine mandate will increase vaccination numbers, whether this mandate will result in workers leaving their place of employment, and whether the tertiary education sector should be included in the madate.

In the second half, Zazi and Brooke talk about ACT's support for the new Covid-19 treatment pill Molnupiravir, the significance of New Zealand being one of the first countries in the world to sign this advanced purchase, as well as the efficiency of Medsafe.

This week on the Wednesday Wire, Zazi Hewlett is hosting the show with the amazing help of Jemima Huston. 

Jemima kicks the show off with our regular segment Dear Science, chatting with AUT Professor Allan Blackman. They talk about the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2021; discuss solving food fraud with isotope models; and then finally delve into studies about contract cheating at universities, causing challenges for the academic community due to the digital shift of Covid-19.

Zazi then speaks to ACC's the Chief Customer Officer, Emma Powell, about ACC’s Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative launch.  

Jemima also speaks with Anahera Higgins, the Chair of Ngā Aho Whakaari about the body’s call for Covid relief funding for the Māori screen sector.

Finally, Zazi has her regular catch-up with ACT's Brooke van Velden, this week talking about the vaccine mandate for teachers and most healthcare workers, as well as the Government signing an advanced purchase agreement for the new Covid-19 treatment pill Molnupiravir.