The Wire with Joel

In his speech at the UN General Assembly, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters expressed New Zealand’s support for a ceasefire in Gaza. 

The Green Party have been vocal advocates for a ceasefire since the beginning of the conflict and have also been advocating for the granting of Visas for Palestinians with family in Aotearoa.

Nicholas spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez  March about the foreign Minister’s speech. 

They also spoke about the consequences of job cuts in the public sector.

On April 2nd, the coalition government released an action plan discussing their goals for the next quarter. In the plan was a list of thirty six policies, some vague and some specific, addressing issues across various sectors. You can find the full document here. 

In our weekly catchup with the National party's James Meager, Wire host Castor asks about several of these policies, and how they could develop in the coming quarter. These policies were number 4 discussing transport, number 17 on the Holidays Act, number 19 on the repeal of the ban on oil and gas exploration, and number 36 on the repeal of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.

For Dear Science this week, Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about medically implanted batteries, this morning’s solar eclipse, and the explosion of a star. 

Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s James Meager about the coalition government’s new action plan. 

News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ActionStation Aotearoa Director Kassie Hartendorp about the government mandating referendums on Māori wards.

Producer Sofia spoke to Kaiārahi for the New Zealand History Teachers Association, Craig Thornhill, about the Education Review Office’s recent report on the first year of implementing the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories Curriculum 

She also spoke to Professor of Toxicology at the University of Canterbury, Ian Shaw, about the coalition government’s intention to repeal the Therapeutic Products Act 2023. 

Producer Ezra spoke to Business School Researcher, Shohil Kishore, from the University of Auckland about his recent study on the impact of micro-influencers during crises.

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Senior Lecturer in Bioethics at the University of Otago, Dr Elizabeth Fenton, about the government removing free flu vaccines for children under 12 and Māori and Pacific People aged 55-64

And co-founder of New Zealand NGO Reemi, an organisation which works to alleviate period poverty, discussed supplying reusable period underwear to people in Gaza.