The Wire with Caeden

For our regular interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court, about the government continuing the Ka Ora Ka Ako, Healthy School Lunches Programme, power shortages across the country, his comments on boycotting pro-Israel and Zionist businesses, and NZ First introducing a bill that would ban transgender people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

She also spoke to Halal Kiwi founder, Mohammed Soliman, about the intention behind their initiative boycotting pro-Israel and Zionist businesses and Co-Founder of Alternative Jewish Voices, Dr Marilyn Garson, on pro-Palestine boycotting movements and ACT MP Simon Court’s comments on the topic.

She spoke to Aida Oryantal, from Voice of Iranians, about Iranian hip hop artist Toomaj Salehi, who has recently been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic regime, and many others facing brutal oppression and human rights abuses in Iran.

Producer Ezra spoke to Chief Executive of Brain Tumour Support NZ, Sarah Verran, about their newly launched fundraising platform “No Going Back” which marks the start of their awareness month campaign “Make May Better”.

Amid global boycott movements in support of Palestine amid Israel's ongoing war on Gaza which has killed more than 34,000 people News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Alternative Jewish Voices Co-Founder, Dr Marilyn Garson, about the conflation of Judaism and Zionism and how this has come up in boycotting movements.

This week is Rape Awareness Week in Aotearoa, a kaupapa that seeks to start conversations and facilitate social change for sexual violence prevention in Aotearoa. This year’s initiatives, led by Whāngarei Rape Crisis and HELP Auckland’s Dear Em Programme, focus on the theme ‘A Community of Consent’. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Dear Em Acting Programme Lead, Imogen Stone, on the importance of this movement for Aotearoa, and how to get involved.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced the government is considering removing election day voter enrolment. 

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission told 95bFM background information on what election day voter enrolment is including that:

Election day enrolment was introduced for the 2020 General Election, so there have been two elections when it’s been in place.

It means people can enrol or update their details, and then vote, on election day.

Before 2020, people needed to enrol by the day before election day.

In 2023, about 110,000 people enrolled or updated their details on election day.

Anyone who enrols or updates their details in the month before election day needs to cast a special vote.

Minister Goldsmith's reason for looking at abolishing election day enrolment included; that few countries have this ability and the electoral commission does not have enough resources to deal with these special votes. 

Opposition MPs, including Green Party Leader Chlöe Swarbrick has spoken out against removing same-day voting and enrolment, stating in a Press Release “any imposed barrier [to accessible elections] is rightfully open to serious criticism of voter suppression.”

Caeden asked political scientist at Victoria University Dr Lara Greaves (Ngāpuhi, Pākehā, Tararā) about the proposal and its resulting opposition.

They started by asking her to explain the issues with same day enrolment and voting.