The Wire with Castor

The government recently approved FORTY NINE MILLION DOLLARS in additional funding to support pacific health and vaccination services during COVID-19, including TWENTY THREE million dollars for Whānau Ora services.

Jessica Hopkins spoke to Debbie Sorensen from Pasifika Futures, a Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency about what this funding means for the critical support services they provide, and what the impact of the delta outbreak has been for Pasifika people, particularly the Samoan community.

They started the interview discussing how the Pacific community has responded to this current outbreak. 

Here is Debbie...

This week on the show, Jessica Hopkins spoke to Terry Bellamak of Abortion Law Reform New Zealand about extreme anti-abortion laws that have come into affect in Texas in the United States. 

She also talked to Debbie Sorenson from Pasifika Futures about the impact of the delta outbreak on Pasifika people, particularly the Samoan community, and the recent announcement of government funding to support Pacific health and vaccination services. 

Louis Macalister interviews SAFE’s Will Applebe and a Greyhound Trainer, Craig Roberts about the recent review of the Greyhound racing industry. 

Lastly, he speaks to Scott Hindman, a resident and member of Bethells Emergency Response Group about the impact of last weeks flooding on the Bethells Beach community. 

Ilena spoke to Councillor Pippa Coom for an update on Auckland Council’s Covid-19 response as we look forward to another two weeks of lockdown. We also discussed the flooding that happened earlier this week in parts of Auckland due to a period of intense rain and storms, and how emergency services responded to those affected under level 4 restrictions. She also mentioned resources available on the Council website for those looking to stay healthy physically and mentally during lockdown, as well as getting rid of Auckland library overdue fines.

Ilena talked to the National Party spokesperson for social development, Luise Upston, about the government rejecting advice to fund Whānau Ora to have a strategic role in the vaccination rollout for Maori and Pasifika. They spoke about what Whānau Ora do, how the vaccination figures for Maori and Pasifika are looking like as we enter the group four vaccination phase, and the efficacy of the approach that the government has had so far in engaging these communities.