The Wire with Caeden

Recently, the government has announced regulations for physician associates, or PAs. Minister of Health Simeon Brown says regulating this role "demonstrates the Government's commitment to patient safety and providing high quality care".

The aim of regulating PAs would allow for more workers in the medical sector, and to entice overseas workers to fill gaps in rural practices.

This move has faced backlash over concerns physician associates do not have the adequate medical expertise. 

In the UK, there have been multiple reports of medical malpractice resulting in patient deaths, which resulted in the launch of an independent review into the safety of PAs.

Currently in Aotearoa, Simeon Brown says there are 50 PAs across 29 different clinics.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the National Secretary of the New Zealand Residential Doctors’ Association or the NZRDA, Dr Deborah Powell, about her concerns with this announcement.

This week on the Monday Wire:

For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, Producer Evie speaks to MP Simon Court about the government’s proposed changes to Early Childhood Education (or ECE) regulations, NZ First’s proposed gender bill and ACC’s ethnic outcomes target.

Evie speaks to early childhood representative on the NZ Educational Institute National (NZEI) Executive Zane McCarthy about the proposed changes to ECE, and why they spark cause for concern.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel speaks to Queer Endurance / Defiance member, Leliel Trethowen, about Winston Peter’s proposed gender bill.

Joel speaks to a board member of ECPAT Child Alert; an organisation aimed at ending child sexual exploitation Rebecca Kingi, about National MP, Greg Flemming, calling for cross-party support for anti-trafficking legislation.

And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins us in studio to discuss changes in the way AI is being used.

Whakarongo mai.

National MP, Greg Flemming, is pushing for cross-party support for anti-trafficking legislation to expand on his members’ bill.

This comes as recent court documents and child welfare agencies have shown cases of adoptive parents with criminal histories abusing children who have been adopted from overseas.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to a board member of ECPAT Child Alert; an organisation aimed at ending child sexual exploitation, Rebecca Kingi, about current anti-trafficking legislation in Aotearoa and what these proposed changes aim to do.

The government's proposed changes to ECE regulation have sparked concern among many early childhood educators. 

The New Zealand Education Institute or NZEI says called it a backwards step. Adding it will result in qualified teacher requirements watered down, safety criteria withdrawn, and quality teaching standards removed from centres’ licensing requirements. 

NZEI says “ECE centres' profit margins are the winners here. Tamariki and teachers are the losers.” 

Producer Evie spoke to early childhood educator and early childhood representative on the NZEI National Executive Zane McCarthy about why the proposed changes are such cause for concern.