The Wire with Caeden

Better housing, income equality, and better access to healthcare and education are some of the things researchers believe will improve the quality of living for Pasifika children in Aotearoa. The recommendations are in a report titled Tamaiti Ole Moana, and alongside the recommendations of the report is a 10-year-pacific health plan driven to provide better outcomes for Pacific children and families. 

The health plan focuses on improving Pasifika’s access to quality housing, boosting incomes, improving access to quality healthcare, and finally, a quality education. 

Andre Fa'aoso spoke with Dr Teuila Percival, Paediatrician and Director of Moana Connect in the studio this morning. I first asked her whether the government had been receptive to the report.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s plan to address the budget shortfall includes cutting funding to many public services, while retaining expensive golf courses that ratepayers are paying for. 

It also suggests selling public assets like shares in Auckland Airport to help fill a $295m budget shortfall. 

FIRST Union, a union representing 30,000 workers in Aotearoa, recently made a budget submission to Auckland Council. They branded Mayor Wayne Brown’s Submission as insufficient and irredeemable, and made several suggestions for improvement. 

Arno spoke to FIRST Union President Robert Reid, and started off by asking what FIRST’s position is on the proposed $21m budget cut for bus services.

On The Wire for Rāhina Monday:

News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins discussed the minimum wage and benefits increase and an alternative Waitematā Harbour crossing with ACT’s Karen Chhour. 

Jessica Hopkins talked to Public Transport Users Association spokesperson John Reeves about mass bus cancellations in Tāmakai Makaurau. 

Hanna Thompson spoke to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about addressing child poverty in Aotearoa, reforming our welfare system, and indigenous foreign policy.

Nicholas Lindstrom interviewed associate professor Paula Morris about the state of New Zealand literature, the Auckland City Council budget, funding for the arts and the Aotearoa book review, and a new literature review website.

And Caeden Tipler spoke to several experts on our melting glaciers and what that means for climate change.

Concerns regarding New Zealands Military involvement with NATO and AUKUS have recently been raised. This week on the Tuesday Wire Milly spoke to Valerie Morse from Auckland Peace Action regarding New Zealand's involvement both these groups, investigating the consequences if New Zealand gets involved and our Nuclear Free Status.