The Wire with Caeden

Last year the government announced its plan to plant a billion trees by 2028 as part of offsetting our carbon footprint as a country. As great as that is however, the sudden demand for land on which to plant these trees has had unforeseen effects on NZ farmers. 

Andy Scott is an ex-farmer and now a real estate agent in the Wairarapa. We were put in contact with him by the new lobby group “Fifty Shades of Green” which claim the planting incentives under the Emissions Trading Scheme, combined with changes to the Overseas Investment Act have lead to foreign investors buying up good farmland to plant trees and reap the carbon credits. These plantations tend to be pine rather than native trees, which is problematic becuase of the short life span of pine trees and their impact on our natural environment. 

Scott speaks about the effect of increased land prices on farmers in his region as well as the importance of planting the right trees in the right place.

Tonkin and Taylor sustainability engineer Kate Boylan, runs the Internal green team at her workplace and shares how to get business and groups and individuals on board with Plastic Free July. Sherry talks to Kate about on her work in setting up safe landfills, construction and demolition waste, and establishing a circular economy. According to Plastic Free July Aotearoa, “New Zealanders still use 309 million single use coffee cups, 541 million straws and 105 million single-use bottles per year. the average person uses about 31kg of plastic packaging each year.”

Sherry begins by asking Kate what the biggest issue is currently in New Zealand’s sustainability process.

Lillian Hanly speaks to writer and journalist Margie Thomson:

Margie has been investigating the story of Matt Blomfield for the past three and a half years. This investigation turned into a book called Whale Oil, a book whose foreword was written by Nicky Hager. Who is Matt Blomfield you ask? I had no idea either. But I did know Whale Oil. I knew Nicky Hager. I knew Dirty Politics. I knew Cameron Slater, or at least I knew some things. So when I found out about this book, I knew I wanted to read it. I knew I wanted to read it even more when it came out that someone had been held up at the airport with an embargoed manuscript with a foreword by Nicky Hager.. I was ridiculously intrigued. And so we got Margie Thomson in studio to have a chat about everything. It turns out this is a story of one of the few people who stood up to Cameron Slater. Margie and I ended up speaking for 45 minutes about fake news, the definition of property, bullying and harassment and the importance of critical thinking. I started by asking Margie to tell us about the book...

The Full Show Podcast of The Tuesday Wire for the second of July, 2019. 

We had the privilige of talking to Kelly Marie Francis of Whenua Warrior about Whenua Warrior, what and why it is. We also got an update about the ongoings at Ihumātao and how you can get involved. Tune in to find out more! 

We had the privilige of talking to Kelly Marie Francis of Whenua Warrior about Whenua Warrior, what and why it is. We also got an update about the ongoings at Ihumātao and how you can get involved. Tune in to find out more! 

And at the International Desk, We discuss the week in US Foreign Diplomacy.

A big thanks to all who spoke to us.