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Regional Council and De-centralising Health NZ w/ National's Stuart Smith: 2 December, 2025

Regional Council and De-centralising Health NZ w/ National's Stuart Smith: 2 December, 2025 Regional Council and De-centralising Health NZ w/ National's Stuart Smith: 2 December, 2025, 12.56 MB
Tue 2 Dec 2025

Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.

As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year.

For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.

Dear Science w/ Dr Cushla McGoverin: 2 December, 2025

Dear Science w/ Dr Cushla McGoverin: 2 December, 2025 Dear Science w/ Dr Cushla McGoverin: 2 December, 2025, 21.15 MB
Tue 2 Dec 2025

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin chats with us about food waste and strategies for limiting food waste and E.coli being used to create rainbow dye.

Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!

Christmas Lights at MOTAT - experience Auckland’s most magical Christmas lights - heritage trams, festive music, Santa visits, and thousands of sparkling lights Tickets at motat.nz 

Queenstown Wildlife Conference w/ the Bioeconomy Science Institute's Dr Sze-Wing Yiu: 2 December, 2025

Queenstown Wildlife Conference w/ the Bioeconomy Science Institute's Dr Sze-Wing Yiu: 2 December, 2025 Queenstown Wildlife Conference w/ the Bioeconomy Science Institute's Dr Sze-Wing Yiu: 2 December, 2025, 11.35 MB
Tue 2 Dec 2025

From today until the 4th of December, a conference will be held in Queenstown that will look into pest management and how best to protect native species.

The event not only brings experts in the sector from Aotearoa, but will also involve Australian experts as well.

Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week’s conference, and what to expect.

The Wire w/ Joel: 2 December, 2025

The Wire w/ Joel: 2 December, 2025 The Wire w/ Joel: 2 December, 2025, 78.29 MB
Tue 2 Dec 2025

This week on the Tuesday Wire:

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin chats with us about food waste and strategies for limiting waste, the five stages of brain development, and scientists using E. coli to create rainbow dye, thanks to MOTAT.

For our weekly catchup with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about the substantial changes to region councils, and Health Minister Simeon Brown’s calls to decentralise Health New Zealand.

For Green World, Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week’s wildlife conference in Queenstown.

Producer Vihan spoke to Sam Pilisi, a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Auckland, about his study on burnout within New Zealand-born Pacific communities.

And Joel spoke to Peter Saxton, an Associate Professor in the School of Population Health and HIV researcher at the University of Auckland, about the Ministry of Health’s HIV Monitoring Report.

Whakarongo mai!

The Ministry's of Health's HIV Monitoring Report w/ the University of Auckland's Peter Saxton: 2 December, 2025

The Ministry's of Health's HIV Monitoring Report w/ the University of Auckland's Peter Saxton: 2 December, 2025 The Ministry's of Health's HIV Monitoring Report w/ the University of Auckland's Peter Saxton: 2 December, 2025, 18.41 MB
Tue 2 Dec 2025

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health released its HIV Monitoring Report to mark World AIDS Day.

The report tracks New Zealand’s goals towards the country’s National HIV Action Plan 2023-2030.

News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Peter Saxton, an Associate Professor in Social, the School fo Population Health and HIV researcher at the University of Auckland, about the report, and where the country is at in combating HIV transmissions.

Regional Council and De-centralising Health NZ w/ National's Stuart Smith: 2 December, 2025

Regional Council and De-centralising Health NZ w/ National's Stuart Smith: 2 December, 2025 Regional Council and De-centralising Health NZ w/ National's Stuart Smith: 2 December, 2025, 12.56 MB
Tue 2 Dec 2025

Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.

As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year.

For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.

Roadside Drug Testing w/ University of Otago's Dr Geoff Noller: 1 December, 2025

Roadside Drug Testing w/ University of Otago's Dr Geoff Noller: 1 December, 2025 Roadside Drug Testing w/ University of Otago's Dr Geoff Noller: 1 December, 2025, 15.63 MB
Mon 1 Dec 2025

This month, the government will begin a roll out of roadside drug testing, starting in Wellington. The move is aimed at tackling road safety concerns around the impairment of drivers on substances such as marijuana, methamphetamine, Cocaine, and MDMA, among others.

While this aim is noble, concerns have been raised over the effectiveness of these tests at controlling impairment – compared to alcohol, Marijuana remains detectable in the system for far longer, raising concerns for those using medical marijuana, and potentially those using New Zealand's most common illicit drug.

Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to a Research Fellow at the department of primary healthcare and rural health at the Dunedin School of Medicine, Dr Geoffrey Noller, about this testing, and what problems around impairment and drug usage remain.

Changes to regional councils, Justice Select Committee on Electoral Amendment Bill w/ the ACT Party's Simon Court: 1 December, 2025

Changes to regional councils, Justice Select Committee on Electoral Amendment Bill w/ the ACT Party's Simon Court: 1 December, 2025 Changes to regional councils, Justice Select Committee on Electoral Amendment Bill w/ the ACT Party's Simon Court: 1 December, 2025, 18.04 MB
Mon 1 Dec 2025

The government has recently announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.

The ‘shake-up’ of regional councils has left concerns that the move would water down environmental regulations at a local level, reduce Māori and iwi voices in decision making, and would result in central government overreaching into local politics.

As well as this, Parliament’s Justice Committee has recommended passing the Electoral Amendment Bill, albeit with some amendments

For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with the changes to regional councils.

The Government's Puberty Blocker Ban's effect on Mental Health w/ The University of Auckland's Paul Hofman: 1 December, 2025

The Government's Puberty Blocker Ban's effect on Mental Health w/ The University of Auckland's Paul Hofman: 1 December, 2025 The Government's Puberty Blocker Ban's effect on Mental Health w/ The University of Auckland's Paul Hofman: 1 December, 2025, 13.42 MB
Mon 1 Dec 2025

Starting in December, the government is banning new prescriptions of puberty blockers to adolescents. 

However, concerns have been raised about the effect this ban will have on the mental health of these individuals – research suggests that the medication reduces mental health distress in transgender youth, a community that is already vulnerable. Banning the drug may have adverse affects in this same vein.

Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Professor in Pediatric Endocrinology at the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland, Paul Hofman, about the ban, and what it means for the mental health of our transgender and gender dysphoric youth.

The Wire w/ Joel: 1 December, 2025

The Wire w/ Joel: 1 December, 2025 The Wire w/ Joel: 1 December, 2025, 83.01 MB
Mon 1 Dec 2025

This week on the Monday Wire:

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Host, Joel, spoke to MP Simon Court about the shake-up to regional councils, and the Justice Committee recommending the Electoral Amendment Bill pass.

Producer Alex spoke with Research Fellow at the department of primary healthcare and rural health at the Dunedin School of Medicine, Dr Geoffrey Noller, about the roll out of roadside drug testing for substances such as Marijuana beginning in wellington, and what it means for road safety and legal Marijuana users.

And Alex spoke with Professor in pediatric endocrinology at the Liggins Insititute at the University of Auckland, Paul Hofman, about the governments ban on puberty blockers, and what it means for the mental health of young trans people.

Whakarongo mai!