The Wire with Caeden

Aotearoa has the third highest rate of inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD in the world, but essential medication is still unavailable due to Pharmac’s budget. Ustekinumab, otherwise known by its brand name – Stelara was approved by MedSafe in 2018 and is already funded in Australia. Crohn’s & Colitis NZ petitioned to get Stelara funded here last year - receiving 30,000 signatures. This led to Pharmac testifying before the petitions committee in October last year – where they said Stelara is needed but they still don’t have the funding. Sam Clark spoke to the Chair of Crohn’s & Colitis NZ, Dr Richard Stein about what has happened since.

Aotearoa has a housing crisis. However, Auckland alone has 40,000 unoccupied houses.

Dr Anthony Hoete, a professor of architecture at the University of Auckand and director at QuakeCoRE, New Zealand Centre for Earthquake Resilience talked about issues with housing availability, how Māori housing needs can be rethought, and how different materials might solve construction issues.

Amid hikes in rent prices across the country, the Green Party has launched an open letter calling for a rent freeze and stronger rent controls.

This is the latest in a series of calls from the Greens to revitalise the renting system in Aotearoa, previously including a warrant of fitness for homes and a registrare for landlords.

To learn more, Liam spoke to Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson about what the open letter contains and why the issue is so important.

This week saw  the release of another major IPCC Climate Report, stating that without immediate action we will reach a one point five degree rise in climate and beyond by 20300.

Several new contributors to climate change were highlighted, including the cumulative impact of big cities and towns on the climate.

Efforts to turn our cities more green have been taking place across Aotearoa for several months, so Liam Hansen spoke to Crystal Olin from Sustainable cities Aotearoa about what’s being done and what needs to come next.