The Wire with Joel

The United States and New Zealand are the only high-income countries that allow unrestricted direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines, which directs advertising towards consumers rather than medical professionals.

Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Associate Professor of Medical Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland, David Menkes, about concerns researchers have raised about direct-to-consumer advertising and how to address them. 

She started the interview asking him how direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines operates in Aotearoa New Zealand.

For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party's Simon Court, producer Evie spoke to Simon about mining and comments he made on X, formally Twitter, about the University of Canterbury pro-Palestine encampment.

She also spoke with Spokesperson for Students for Justice in Palestine Canterbury, Matt, about the University of Canterbury encampment.

For our weekly catchup with, Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Takutai about Māori wards and Kāinga Ora.

They spoke to Senior Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Canterbury, Matthew Hobbs, about a study he led that demonstrates that most vape retailers are in the country’s most deprived areas.

They also spoke to Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Auckland, Jude MacArthur, about the concern with charter schools and assisting students who have a disability and/or are neurodivergent.

Producer Ezra spoke to Senior Lecturer of Education at the University of Auckland, Dr Analosa Veukiso-Ulugia about the soaring Pokie machine profits in South Auckland.

And he also spoke to Curator of I-M.S Arts, Iokapeta Magele-Suamasi, about her “South-Versed” exhibition and its exploration of diaspora for Tagata Pasifika and Tagata Ahia in Aotearoa.

Recently, a University of Canterbury study, ‘investigating the spatial and temporal variation of vape retailer provision in New Zealand: A cross-sectional and nationwide study,’ published in the peer-reviewed journal, Social Science and Medicine, shows that most vape retailers reside in the country’s most deprived areas.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Senior Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Canterbury, and head of the study, Matthew Hobbs, about the findings of this study, and what this means for these communities.

Over $20 million in Pokie machine profits were recorded last December in the Ōtara-Papatoetoe, Manurewa and Mangere-Ōtāhuhu local board areas of Auckland. 

Producer Ezra spoke to Senior Lecturer of Education at the University of Auckland, Dr Analosa Veukiso-Ulugia, about the impact these figures highlighted of gaming machines in South Auckland.