The Wire with Joel

Music in surgery is shown to ease pre-surgery nerves of surgeons, as well as improving concentration.

Beth spoke to musician and surgeon Dr Anantha Narayan, who is writing his PHD on music in surgery, about his studies and findings in this area, and whether music helps or hinders in the operating theatre.

They also spoke about his experience of playing music growing up as well as the experiences that culminated in his studying of music in surgery.

For City Counselling this week, Producer, Beth, spoke to Counsellor for Waitakere, Shane Henderson, about the Auckland Council’s decision not to support the building of a second Waitematā harbour crossing, and spending $7.4 million on recruitment in the past 12 months.

She also spoke to musician and surgeon, Doctor Anantha Narayana, of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Auckland University about the impact of music during surgery.

News team member, Faith, interviewed Professor of Māori Studies at the University of Auckland, Margaret Mutu (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Whātua), about why she believes Te Papa should remove its display of the English version of the Treaty of Waitangi, which claims Māori ceded sovereignty.

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, talked to Head of Marketing and Communications at Tautiaki Moana, Coastguard New Zealand, Kimberly Waters, about the importance of wearing a lifejacket. 

She also spoke to Lecturer at the University of Auckland Law School, Dr Anna Broadmore, about her research into how we can better legally protect people’s reproductive choices. 

For our weekly catch up with the Green Party, Rawan spoke with co-leader Marama Davidson about several topics that have been of concern recently. 

The first topic was around COP28 which is currently being held in Dubai and is being attended by a few of Aotearoa’s leaders including CLimate change minister Simon Watts and Green party co-leader James Shaw. Rawan asked about what the green party hopes to achieve and represent in this year’s conference.

They then spoke about the new government's plans to review Te Tiriti o Waitangi and what this will mean for Aotearoa. Rawan also asked about the government’s plans to scrap the fair pay agreement and the impact this will have on working kiwis. 

Finally they spoke about Prime minister Christopher Luxon’s statement this morning alongside Leaders form Canada and Australia which essentially called for a ceasefire in Gaza amidst the war with israel.

Seedbanking is a means of protecting and preserving our endemic fauna through drying and freezing seeds for long-term storage. It is highly effective, with expert evidence showing that 80% of Aotearoa’s native plant species can be preserved using these conventional methods. However, other seeds require more complicated methods for successful preservation, which researchers currently know little about. 

Olivia spoke to Lecturer of Forest Ecology at the School of Forestry at the University of Canterbury, Dr Sarah Wyse, about both the conventional and unconventional means of seedbanking, the gaps in current research, and how people can learn more about this important issue.