The Wire with Caeden

Despite years of requests from tertiary education providers, workers, and students, the government’s budget announcements did not grant any new funding to support the country’s universities. The government also delivered on its promise to move the first year fees free policy to the last year of people’s degrees. 

Producer Castor spoke to one of the National Presidents from the Tertiary Education Union, Julie Douglas, about what the lack of support might mean for tertiary education, how the fees free change will affect students, and how the sector will adapt moving forward.

The Government’s 2024 Budget has proposed cuts to areas in public services and social support.

Such cuts include: removing half price public transport, removing $5 universal prescription fees, removing the treaty clause in the Oranga Tamariki law, and changes to the public housing system.

Producer Joel spoke to Coordinator of Auckland Action Against Poverty, Brooke Stanley, about these cuts in the 2024 Budget.

For their regular catch-up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about the recent Budget 2024 announcement, specifically regarding the areas concerning the Environment, tax and Te Tiriti o Waitangi

For this week’s Get Action! Oto also spoke to President of the Criminological Society at Otago University Clara Donne about a petition to the government to roll back Youth Offender Boot Camps

Producer Rachel and Joel spoke to Coordinator of Peace Movement Aotearoa, Edwina Hughes, about the allocation to the military in the 2024 Budget.

They also spoke to Coordinator of Auckland Action Against Poverty, Brooke Stanley, about cuts to public services and social support in the Budget.

Last week the government released its budget, announcing cuts and new funding across sectors. Particularly notable were the tax cuts, promised during the campaign last year to support lower and middle-income families. The government’s calculator indicates that many will not receive a significant amount of money from these cuts, with those on high incomes benefiting the most. 

The budget also contained changes to fees free in universities, moving the free year from students’ first year to their last. 

Additionally, before the budget announcements, the government also scrapped the first home buyers grant, a policy introduced to support New Zealanders into their first homes. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Castor spoke to MP Tom Rutherford about the first home buyers bonus, public reception of the tax cuts, and the changes to fees free in universities.