The Wire with Caeden

A recent study involving commuters in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, found that women and people of intersectional identities were more likely to avoid using public transport out of fear of harassment. 

Anti-harassment strategies proposed in that study promoted the idea of encouraging members of the public to become “active bystanders” during situations of harassment, where they could intervene by helping to de-escalate situations, reporting harassment incidents to transport staff and directly confronting perpetrators as a last minute resort.

Oto spoke to Doctoral candidate Kirsten Tilleman from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Auckland, to discuss what active bystanders are and the role they could play in preventing harassment on Auckland’s public transport

Last Sunday, the Cabinet proposed five changes they would make to the Fast-Track Approvals bill, which they recommended to the Environment select committee. 

Some of the changes included shifting the final say on fast-tracked projects from ministers to an expert panel, requiring an iwi authority representative to be present on the panel alongside experts in Māori development and the environment, and extending the timeframe for comments on fast-tracked projects.

However, despite Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones saying the changes were based off feedback from submitters to make the fast-tracking process more inclusive, many advocates and experts say the bill still poses a threat to the environment and that it still prioritises development over conservation. 

For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March about the party’s take on the changes to the fast-track approvals bill. 

They also talked about the government's plans to remove natural gas import barriers, and arsenic contamination of the Ohinemuri river caused by mining

Changes were recently announced to the Fast Track Approvals Bill - most notably removing the controversial ministerial override that would allow ministers to go past expert advice. These changes follow public protests and submissions regarding the bill, one of this government’s most discussed. Wire host Castor spoke to Katie Nimon about the changes to the bill, and some of the criticisms that remain.

We also spoke about the potential amendment of Section 58 of the Marine and Coastal Area Act. The amendment would require Māori to prove continuous, uninterrupted occupation of a coastal area in order to make a claim to it. The Waitangi Tribunal recently filed an urgent claim to discuss the amendment, particularly criticised for its impact on coastal iwi with fewer land claims. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor asked MP Katie Nimon about each of these issues, starting off with changes to the Fast Track Approvals Bill. 

New Zealand’s employment court recently rejected an appeal by taxi and delivery company Uber to reverse its earlier ruling regarding the status of Uber drivers. In 2022, the employment court ruled that Uber drivers should be classified as employees rather than contractors. Uber then appealed the decision, with the employment court reaching its final verdict this week.

Alongside this decision are discussions by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister, Brooke Van Velden, surrounding potential changes to how workers are classified. 

Wire host Castor spoke to national secretary of the E tū union, Rachel Mackintosh, about the appeal and potential upcoming legislation.