The Wire with Caeden

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March, Oto spoke to him about the government’s pre-budget announcement and cuts to the operating allowance, as well as the government rejection suggestions to review carbon subsidies and the Greens’ call to ban engineered stone products.

He spoke to PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimmons (Fit-Simons) for a follow up conversation about the pre-budget announcement.

And, for this week’s Get Action! He speak to Volunteer president of the Associated New Zealand ME Society Fiona Charlton about a petition to roll back the government’s benefit cuts for people experiencing long term hospitalisation.

Max spoke to Tania Sawicki Mead, Head of Communications at UNICEF Aotearoa, about the announcement that UNICEF would be launching a groundbreaking project to 3D print prosthetic limbs for war-injured children in Gaza.

And he spoke to Larah van de Meer, Research and Advocacy Manager at Autism New Zealand, about the recent study by the University of Otago, that showed that autistic pupils attend school at a noticeably lower rate than non-autistic students.

The change to subsidising teachers registration fees has been well received by teachers across the country. A long anticipated change, it should eliminate a barrier to new teachers and a hurdle for existing teachers to cover.

Education minister Erica Stanford also recently announced new classroom upgrades across the country to areas facing more overcrowding. Many schools across the country face overcrowding as an imminent issue, forcing students into hallways, libraries, or other extra rooms. 

To discuss the change to teachers registration fees, overcrowding in schools, and what can be done to address these issues, Tuesday Wire Host Castor spoke to president of the Post Primary Teachers Association, Chris Abercrombie.

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science, our expert, Doctor Cushla McGoverin talks to us about a tree climbing salamander, lab grown teeth, and an early warning for volcanic eruptions. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor about transport upgrades in Northwest Auckland and subsidies to teachers registration fees. 

Also on education they spoke to president of the Post Primary Teachers Association, Chris Abercrombie, about the subsidised teachers registration fees and new classroom developments for overcrowded schools. 

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the National Secretary of the New Zealand Residential Doctors’ Association, Dr Deborah Powell, about the organisation’s concerns for the regulation of physician associates.

Joel also spoke to Virginia Braun, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Auckland, about New Zealand’s traveller status to the US being ‘exercised increased caution,’ and what they recommend for those visiting or transiting in the United States.

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.