The Wire with Caeden

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 Friday, staff at the University of Auckland held a strike on campus, over ongoing conversations with the University regarding bettering working conditions and improving pay for staff.

This follows similar protest action that happened on campus THREE weeks ago, with members as a part of THREE different universities striking on the same day. These rallies were attended by 4,000 Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union members overall, making this strike action the largest since staff from all EIGHT universities striked two years prior.

News and Editorial Director, and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the organiser of the Tertiary Education Union, Nicole Wallace, about the most recent strikes at the University of Auckland, and what this means moving forward.

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.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has made a last-minute amendment to the Tīkapa Moana Protection Bill that would create new “high protection” areas in the Hauraki Gulf.

The amendment would allow commercial fishing in these newly created protected areas.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Dr Simon Thrush, Professor of Marine Science at the University of Auckland, about what he thought of the latest amendment. 

And they spoke to Forest and Bird Advocate Bianca Ranson  about their opposition to the bill amendment.