The Wire with Emilia Sullivan

Towns and cities across Aotearoa will be lighting up their landmarks and prominent buildings in pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October.

Joe spoke to Ah-Leen Rayner, the Chief Executive of The Breast Foundation, about supporting breast cancer initiatives and spreading awareness of early detection.

In 1923, Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck) documented the last confirmed capture of a special fish – the upokororo or New Zealand grayling. Now, researchers are using using its ancient DNA to finally provide some answers to how it went extinct. 

Genetic data provides a new tool in the search for survivors. Environmental DNA in water samples from remote catchments can now be compared routinely to known DNA from the upokororo.

Fish populations are in sharp decline globally. Lessons learned from past extinctions, like that of the upokororo, can help us preserve fish species for future generations. Hopefully we can heed the lessons from the past.

Joe speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the Palaeogenetics Lab at the University of Otago on the matter.

Green Party MP Jan Logie has recently spearheaded an open letter to see welfare improved for parents of young children. 

Addressed to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni, the letter called for one central family support credit instead of multiple different kinds. 

Logie also calls for the Best Start Credit that supports parents through weekly paid instalments to be increased from one year of funds to three years after the baby is born.

The best start payment was introduced in 2018, giving families with under twelve month old's $60pw depending on their income, a number the Greens are also calling to be increased.

Liam spoke to Logie to learn more. 

Today on The Wire:

Liam spoke to Jan Logie of the Green Party about her open letter to the Prime Minister to improve welfare support for parents of young children.

David spoke to Pedro Mello about the upcoming Brazilian Elections.

We also have a series of interviews from Jack Horsnell at last week's Climate Protests in Tamaki Makaurau. He spoke to protesters about what they were calling for and why they believe climate change is important.

Liam also had a chat with Anton Ashcroft from Divergent Thinking NZ about the struggle neurodiverse students go under in schools.

David also spoke to the first haast tokoeka kiwi chick of the 2022-23 season Polina Stucke.

And finally Liam had a korero with Kelly Dombroski from Massey University about how Christchurch has implemented community installations and arts events after the earthquakes.