The Wire with Caeden

In a recent report card on Aotearoa’s laws and policies for vaping, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand found the government still has significant areas for improvement to address the youth vaping epidemic.

Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Chief Executive, Letitia Harding, about New Zealand’s current laws and policies for vaping, the importance of regulation and restriction, and what measures the Foundation would like to see the government take to better address these. 

The missile attack launched by Iran on Israel drew responses from a number of Western countries, spreading concern and condemning the actions of Iran’s government. 

The attack followed an airstrike by Israel on the first of April, on Iran’s embassy in Damascus, Syria. 

While international organisations, including New Zealand’s government, were quick to respond to the recent response from Iran, few commented on this earlier attack. Wire host Castor spoke to Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa’s chair John Minto about this and New Zealand’s response to Israel’s actions more broadly.

For Dear Science this week, Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about ancient Roman wine, dating a solar flare using polar trees, and the brightest cosmic explosion ever. 

Wire host Castor spoke to the University of Auckland’s Professor James Russell, about conservation and pest eradication in Aotearoa.

He also spoke to Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa’s chair, John Minto, about recent hypocrisy from the government regarding Iran’s recent attack on Israel. 

Producer Sofia spoke to the Chief Executive of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand, Letitia Harding, about the government’s laws and policies for vaping. 

She also spoke to Group Manager Conservation Advocacy and Communications at Forest and Bird, Richard Capie, about job cuts at the Department of Conservation. 

A recent symposium by the National Wetland Trust has emphasised the critical role of wetlands in carbon absorption and supporting the ecosystem. With New Zealand having lost 90% of its wetlands over the last 150 years, experts have emphasised the need for conservation and restoration efforts.

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 New Zealand’s wetlands.