The Wire with Caeden

Last week, two new propositions for job cuts in the Ministry of Justice and Te Puni Kōkiri were announced, which would get rid of a combined FIFTY THREE jobs.

A large portion of the proposed jobs that would be slashed were roles that help advise Māori and Crown relations, raising worries that the government won’t be reaching its treaty obligations.

The entire inquiry team that deals with Waitangi tribunal inquiries at the Ministry of Justice would be let go, and the cuts at Te Puni Kōkiri would mean 21 percent of the workforce will have been lost under this government.

To discuss these job cuts and their impact on Māori, producer Thomas spoke to Te Kaihautū Māori for the PSA, Jack McDonald.

VERI-Mi is an organisation working to combat migrant exploitation in Aotearoa New Zealand. Their new app has been designed to collect proof of underpayment of wages and other breaches.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Dhilum Nightingale, the CEO and Founder of VERI-Mi Charitable Trust, who is also a Barrister in Kate Sheppard Chambers, about the app and the process from development to launch.

For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about the increased demand for public transport in Auckland and the boil water notice for parts of Auckland that was lifted yesterday. 

And they spoke to Dhilum Nightingale, CEO and Founder of VERI-Mi Charitable Trust, about an app she has built to support anti-migrant exploitation advocacy. 

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about the government’s stance on the US/Iran conflict, the Tukituki water security project, and Labour’s public transport policy. 

Producer Pranuja spoke with Dr Kate Kersey about new research exploring how middle-aged women understand and manage their drinking.

And she spoke with Associate Professor Bridget Conor about a new UNESCO report highlighting gender inequality in creative industries.

New research out of the University of Auckland is exploring how middle-aged women understand and manage their drinking.

The study found that many women have a strong awareness of alcohol’s effects on their bodies, particularly when it comes to things like sleep, energy, and overall well-being. But those understandings are shaped by broader social expectations around productivity, health, and self-care.

Producer Pranuja spoke with Dr Kate Kersey,  a researcher in the department of social and community health at the University of Auckland, about how women navigate those pressures, and what that tells us about drinking culture in Aotearoa.