The Wire with Caeden

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has made a last-minute amendment to the Tīkapa Moana Protection Bill that would create new “high protection” areas in the Hauraki Gulf.

The amendment would allow commercial fishing in these newly created protected areas.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Dr Simon Thrush, Professor of Marine Science at the University of Auckland, about what he thought of the latest amendment. 

And they spoke to Forest and Bird Advocate Bianca Ranson  about their opposition to the bill amendment.

Recently, the HMNZS Manawanui sank off the coast of Samoa, after hitting a reef and catching fire. 

Following the sinking, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced a Court of Inquiry, after being called on by a Samoan International Relations expert based in New Zealand.

Usually, similar incidents regarding major maritime vessels would be investigated by Maritime New Zealand, and may also be referred to the Transport Accident Investigation Commission. However, as the Manawanui was a naval vessel engaged in governmental activity, the NZDF is holding the inquiry.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to a Professor in the Faculty of Law at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Paul Myburgh, about what this inquiry could mean.

As well as this, an estimate of up to 200,000 litres of diesel has leaked into the ocean from the wreckage.

New Zealand's Deputy Chief of Navy, Commodore Andrew Brown, says that there is currently no evidence that the spillage has come from the main fuel tanks onboard, which appear to be intact.

This comes as the Chief of the Navy, Rear Admiral Garin Golding, told RNZ’s Morning Report that roughly 950 tonnes of diesel fuel was onboard when the HMNZS Manawanui sank.

They also spoke to a Lecturer in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago, Dr Bridie Allan, about how much of a concern the spillage is so far, and what the environmental implications of the spillage could look like.

For their regular catch-up, Wire Host Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about the recent amendments to the Hauraki Gulf protection bill and the impacts of commercial fishing, the recent 1news Verian poll showing that 40% of New Zealanders think Aotearoa is in a worse state today than it was last year, and the Samoan Citizenship Bill drafted by fellow Greens MP Teanau Tuiono getting getting passed in the select committee and moving on to it’s second reading.

He also spoke to Dr Joel Rindelaub, a senior lecturer in Chemical sciences at the University of Auckland, to discuss the recent report by the Ministry of Environment and Stats NZ analysing air pollution in Aotearoa and its Impacts.

Producer Sasha spoke to Doctor Alex Beattie, Lecturer in Media and Communication at the University of Victoria who is a lead author on a research discussing why New Zealanders avoid the news.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Professor in the Faculty of Law at the Auckland University of Technology, Paul Myburgh, and  Lecturer in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago, Dr Bridie Allan, about an Court of Inquiry being called for the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui in Samoa, and the subsequent oil spillage that has occurred due to the incident.

This week in our weekly catchup with the National Party Wire host Castor discussed the impact and response to the Auckland Anniversary and Cyclone Gabrielle floods last year. The government is overhauling the current emergency management system, based on feedback from those affected most severely by flood damage. 

They asked Katie Nimon about the new emergency management system, and about the government’s commitment to emissions reduction as extreme weather events become more common.