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Prisoner Voting Rights: Submissions to the Select Committee: 20 April, 2020

 Prisoner Voting Rights: Submissions to the Select Committee: 20 April, 2020 Prisoner Voting Rights: Submissions to the Select Committee: 20 April, 2020, 15.64 MB
Mon 20 Apr 2020

With submissions on the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill closing this Friday, Bronnie sheds light on the contentious issue of prisoner voting rights. 

Among other changes, the Bill would reform the 2010 prisoner voting ban, reinstating the right to vote for those serving sentences of less than three years. As well as the usual debates that accompany an issue of constitutional gravity such as this, there has been particular criticism of the speed at which the government is progressing this reform in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

This report begins with a brief history of prisoner voting rights in New Zealand: from the 1993 Electoral Act, to the 2010 reform and subsequent Waitiangi Tribunal report and Taylor v Attorney General Supreme Court case. We then hear excerpts from the Parliamentary debate at the first reading of Andrew Little's proposed Bill. Lastly are the highlights from the first round of oral public submissions to the Justice Select Committee which was held via Zoom.

Public submissions on the Bill close on the 24th of April.

 

Treasury's modelling on unemployment and capitalism with Rod Oram: April 17, 2020

 Treasury's modelling on unemployment and capitalism with Rod Oram: April 17, 2020 Treasury's modelling on unemployment and capitalism with Rod Oram: April 17, 2020, 17.42 MB
Fri 17 Apr 2020

On Tuesday, the Treasury announced some unemployment figures based on modelling from different scenarios relating to the Covid19 pandemic and our subsequent rāhui.

The scenarios show:

  • That unemployment can be kept below 10%, and return to 5% in 2021 with additional Government support. Work is already well advanced on further fiscal support.
  • Without additional support, unemployment could have hit 13.5% under scenario 1 (four weeks in Level 4), while scenarios requiring more time in Level 4 showed a peak of 17.5%-26%.
  • New Zealand’s underlying strength means the economy can bounce back to be $70 billion larger by 2024 than in 2019.

So, the best outlook we are dealing with at the moment is an increase in unemployment to just under 10 percent, and some commentators have pointed out this number is already a reality for Māori. So! What does this all mean? And what effect will Covid19 have on the economic system in general? To get some idea, Lillian Hanly rang Rod Oram. They started off by talking about the figures but ended up talking about Capitalism more generally.

 

Image credit:
Original image from Harvard Business Review | Animation by Thomas Fink-Jensen

Alert Level Three Restrictions with Lillian Hanly: 17th of April, 2020

 Alert Level Three Restrictions with Lillian Hanly: 17th of April, 2020 Alert Level Three Restrictions with Lillian Hanly: 17th of April, 2020, 3.49 MB
Fri 17 Apr 2020

Moving into our fourth week of the rāhui, the government yesterday outlined what Alert Level 3 would look like.

The principles for level 3 are to restrict contact with others as much as possible. The Prime Minister indicated this shift would not be a rush to normality, it is a progression, and carries many of the restrictions in place at level 4. 

Lillian Hanly fills us in on what kind of restrictions we will be looking at for alert level three...

 

The Inevitability of Coastal Flooding: 17th of April, 2020

 The Inevitability of Coastal Flooding: 17th of April, 2020 The Inevitability of Coastal Flooding: 17th of April, 2020, 4.83 MB
Fri 17 Apr 2020

The flooding in Owhiro Bay this week paints a picture of what is likely to become a more frequent event over the next decades. Reports indicate that many in Aotearoa will be affected by the rising sea levels. Wellington council for one is taking it seriously with officials claiming that consequential conversations around costal flooding need to be had this year. The events in Owhiro Bay are acting as a catalyst for these talks. 

State of the Welfare System in Covid-19: 17th of April, 2020

 State of the Welfare System in a Covid-19 Climate: 17th of April, 2020 State of the Welfare System in a Covid-19 Climate: 17th of April, 2020, 6.33 MB
Fri 17 Apr 2020

Social Welfare is an integral part of our society, it serves to provide for those in hard times, a safety net that should be sufficient for families & makes up the social policy of Aotearoa.

 

 

 

The Friday Wire: April 17th, 2020

 The Friday Wire: April 17th, 2020 The Friday Wire: April 17th, 2020, 103.76 MB
Fri 17 Apr 2020

Today on the show we had Laura bringing us the regular chat with the National Party’s Denise Lea...

A quick poll position touching on whether you think the government will leave level 4 or not at the end of the 4 weeks. 

We hear from Louis Laws who is looking into the state of our welfare system and how this could change. We heard from AAAP, CPAG, and CTU on how we got to this point and what problems we have with the system at the moment. 

And Lillian spoke with Rod Oram, following the Treasury’s announcement regarding possible unemployment figures. We also spoke about how the pandemic could impact capitalism.

The Thursday Wire: April 16, 2020

 The Thursday Wire: April 16, 2020 The Thursday Wire: April 16, 2020, 100.54 MB
Thu 16 Apr 2020

This morning's Epidemic Response Committee meeting heard from RBNZ, CTU, and Trade Ministers; we're summarising key points for you. Hanna speaks to sociologist Campbell Jones about the change in language during rāhui; what was once ‘unskilled’ work has become ‘essential services’. Labour’s Andrew Little tells Mary-Margaret about why the tertiary package only includes the ability to accumulate more debt, and what he makes of the claims of the group calling for a ‘Plan B’. Rachel brings an update on the State of the States. Finally, Radio Adelaide’s Zoe Kounadis shares what conversations look like in Australia about their Chief Medical Officer’s comments at our own Epidemic Response Committee, as well as the newest DC superhero: an Aboriginal character from Pilbara.

Debunking 'unskilled' labour: April 16, 2020

 Debunking 'unskilled' labour: April 16, 2020 Debunking 'unskilled' labour: April 16, 2020, 14.28 MB
Thu 16 Apr 2020

Currently, only essential services are operating. Much of those essential services are everyday things like busses or food stores. Those things that keep us going to work and keep us alive. The workers in these areas are often classified as ‘unskilled’ which brings with it hugely negative connotations about a person’s worth in regard to their work. Hanna Thompson looked into this and spoke with Associate Professor of Sociology Campbell Jones at the University of Auckland.

 

Artwork by Thomas Fink-Jensen

State of the States: April 16th, 2020

 State of the States: April 16th, 2020 State of the States: April 16th, 2020, 10.7 MB
Thu 16 Apr 2020

Trump's fallen out with the World Health Organisation, conservatives are gathering in the thousands in Michigan to protest stay-at-home orders, Harvard researchers have found links between being exposed to pollution and risk of Covid-19 death, the Navajo Nation is becoming a Covid-19 hotspot not unlike New York...

This week in State of the States with Rachel Simpson.

"Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all come to look for America

- Paul Simon

The Epidemic Response Committee Notes: April 16th, 2020

 Epidemic Response Committee Notes: April 16th, 2020 Epidemic Response Committee Notes: April 16th, 2020, 5.45 MB
Thu 16 Apr 2020

95bFM recaps today's Epidemic Response Committee meeting.

This committee was established on 25 March 2020 to consider and report to the House on matters relating to the Government’s management of the COVID-19 epidemic.