The Wire with Caeden

The Afghanistan Crisis continues to worsen hour by hour - that is the message that over 61 organistions and individuals are sending to the New Zealand Government in an open letter. One of those organisations is Oxfam Aotearoa. Conor speaks to Rachael Le Mesurier, executive director of Oxfam Aotearoa, about the open letter, and about Oxfam's ongoing action in Afghanistan.

This week on the Wednesday Wire, we have another jam-packed show, with Zazi Hewlett and Frances Wright producing their fifth show from home and Jemima hosting and bringing us the news. 

The show starts off with Frances having her regular segment Dear Science with Allan Blackman. This week Frances and Allan talk about the Ig Nobel prizes; chat about toilet training cows; and discuss food scientists finding the key to perfectly smooth chocolate. 

Zazi speaks with Dr. Daniel Carl Henare Hikuroa, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland. Dr. Daniel Hikuroa talks about his journey with te reo Māori, how he was introduced to it and why he finds it so important. He also talks about the name of this country, and whether New Zealand best describes the people living within it.

Frances then talks to Kylie Taffard, Chairperson of Women in Trades NZ, about the trades as career options for women.   

Zazi then has her regular catch-up with ACT's Brooke van Velden, this week talking about the Māori Party’s petition to change New Zealand’s official name to Aotearoa, as well as comments made by John Tamihere, saying that ACT members contacted him, appalled and apologetic of Seymour’s Māori priority vaccine tweet, posted last week.

And finally, Zazi speaks with the Māori Party’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, to hear her opinions on the petition to change New Zealand’s name to Aotearoa as well, as she helped launch the petition. 

This week celebrates Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, an initiative intended to encourage New Zealanders to promote the use of the Māori language, which, along with New Zealand Sign Language, is an official language of the country. 

This week, Zazi speaks to Dr. Daniel Carl Henare Hikuroa, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, who talks about his journey with Te Reo Māori, how he was introduced to it and why he finds it so important. He also talks about the name of this country, and whether New Zealand best describes the people living within it.

Yesterday, Te Pāti Māori launched a petition to change the official name of New Zealand to Aotearoa. 

The petition is asking Parliament to change New Zealand to Aotearoa and begin the of, alongside whānau, hapū and iwi identifying and officially restoring the original te reo Māori names for all towns, cities and places right across the country by the year 2026.

This week, Zazi talks to Māori Party's co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer about the petition to change New Zealand’s name to Aotearoa, as she helped launch the petition, and is encouraging people to support such a change.

The ACT Party's Brooke van Velden also spoke to Zazi about this petition in today's Wednesday Wire show. If you would like to listen to that interview as well, click the link here.