The Wire with Caeden

Today on Dear Science with AUT's Allan Blackman:

- We discuss the ethics behind the right-to-try federal law in the States, which allows drug makers to sell their yet unproven therapies to dying patients. 

- The biggest, most powerful computer ever built

- And the saddening death of Koko, the 46-year-old gorilla who knew how to communicate with humans through sign language. 

This week State Housing Action Network sent a letter to the Board and senior managers of the Housing New Zealand Corporation calling for their resignation. Jemima spoke with John Minto, the Convenor of SHAN, about why this letter was sent and why there needs to be a "transformational culture change" in HNZC. Jemima began the interview by asking, what SHAN's letter to HNZC is all about.   

Producer Will Parsonson speaks with Dr Sue Belgrave, chair of the perinatal and maternal mortality review committee, working under the health quality and safety commission, about pregnancy and mortality in New Zealand. We touch on how the government could work to improve safety and standards for pregnant women and their children.. 

Today we look at conflict minerals and how the materials used to make the electronics that power our lives are often sourced from rebel controlled mines in the Congo. The minerals are often mined by women and children forced at gunpoint to find these minerals. Conor explores the problems surrounding this supply chain and what we can do to stop it