The Wire with Caeden

On the 23rd of October, a nationwide hui will be held by thousands of workers in 12 different places in the country, following policies coming into place since the current government took power last year that impacts workers’ rights, such as abolishing fair pay agreements, and mass job cuts in the public sector.

According to RNZ’s tracker, 2000 public service jobs have been cut from the period of December last year to June this year, with 7000 being cut from the public sector.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU), Richard Wagstaff, about the plans for the nationwide hui, and what the NZCTU hope to get out of this day of action.

The government is reintroducing a ‘social investment agency’, an organisation last seen during Bill English’s National government. 

The agency assesses the cost of individuals to the state, largely the cost of beneficiaries. Once this is assessed the government steps in to prevent those deemed most costly from creating these costs. This includes managing individuals' benefits, putting a limit on what they can spend and sanctioning them if they miss support sessions or meetings. 

The move is largely created to save the government costs, rather than addressing poverty and disadvantage at the root. 

Teaching fellow at the University of Auckland, Dr Eileen Joy says this approach completely ignores the systemic causes behind disadvantage.

Producer Evie spoke to Dr Eileen Joy about the system, how it’s implemented and what impacts it will have.

On Saturday, student nurses rallied across multiple cities in the country; in Auckland, Whāngarei, Hamilton, Mt Maunganui, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, and Nelson, over petitioning for the government to implement paid training.

News and Editorial Director, and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Delegate of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Shannyn Bristowe, about the recent rallies, and concerns that studying nursing is gradually becoming a lot less accessible to New Zealanders.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Carmel Sepuloni about the recent 1-News-Verian poll, the Western Samoan Citizenship Bill gaining unanimous support at select committee, and the divorce law change known as ‘Ashley’s law’ that was passed through Parliament yesterday.

For States of the States this week they speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about presidential candidate Donald Trump’s mental fitness after a recent rally, celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day, and a recent letter sent by the Biden administration threatening to withhold arms from Israel. 

They speak to Liz from Student Justice for Palestine Otago about a video showing pro-Palestine students in a hostile stand-off with campus security. 

And they speak about changes to the Tīkapa Moana Protection Bill with the University of Auckland’s Dr Simon Thrush and Forest and Bird’s Bianca Ranson. 

For City Counselling this week, Sofia speak to Councillor Shane Henderson about the Ports of Auckland using the Fast-track Bill to convert the Captain Cook and Marsden wharves into a waterfront attraction and Council’s new roaming dog squad. 

She also speaks to University of Auckland Law Professor, Mark Henaghan, about the Family Proceedings Amendment Bill passing its third reading yesterday.