The Wire with Joel

Early in April, the Department of Conservation faced criticisms for spending $500,000 to remove one stoat from Chalky Island in Fiordland. 

Wire host Castor spoke to the University of Auckland’s Professor James Russell, about conservation and pest eradication broadly in Aotearoa, individual community efforts, and this specific case of one nasty stoat. 

Last week, it was announced that 130 jobs at the Department of Conservation will be cut in a proposed restructure. 

These are among the almost 2000 public service job cuts being made to meet the Finance Minister's cost-cutting target of a 6.5 percent reduction in spending.

Additionally, the cuts at DOC were announced the same day as the release of the Our Land 2024 report on Aotearoa’s natural ecosystems and landscapes. 

Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Group Manager of Conservation Advocacy and Communications at Forest and Bird, Richard Capie, about the impacts and significance of these cuts on the environment and the economy, in light of the Fast Track legislation, Our Land 2024, and the cuts to other departments contributing to the protection of Aotearoa’s environment

Small business, Trade Jobs NZ, is facing a legal dispute with Trade Me over its name and branding, with Trade Me claiming copyright infringement for using the words 'Trade' and 'Jobs'.

Trade Me told 95bFM they cannot go into the details of the case while it is before the Court, but they provided us with the following statement: 

“We have used the name Trade Me Jobs since 2006. It’s an important part of our business. We’ve worked hard to build a distinctive brand that is recognised and trusted by Kiwis. We rarely take the decision to go to court and we don’t take the decision lightly – it is something we would only consider as a last resort.”

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Trade Jobs NZ owner, Colleen Getley, about their business and opposition to Trade Me’s claim.

For our regular catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about the government’s plan to address low truancy levels post-COVID-19, and Court’s X post stating he stands with Israel.

She spoke to Professional Teaching Fellow in Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, Dr Brian Marsh, and Senior Lecturer in Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, Dr John Fenaughty, about how the government can improve school attendance rates.

And she reported on Trade Me’s legal action against small business Trade Jobs NZ, speaking to the owner of Trade Jobs NZ, Colleen Getley.

Producer Ezra spoke to Associate Professor of Environmental Science at The University of Waikato, David Campbell, and Senior Ecologist at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Olivia Burge, about the climate-saving potential of Wetland Conservation.