The Wire with Castor

A report from the annual New Zealand health survey data for 2023-2024 showed that the proportion of children from homes where food ran out sometimes or often has increased by nearly six percentage points in one year. That’s 21.3 percent to 27 percent. 

However, the food insecurity dives into areas of wellbeing like growth, wellbeing and immunity should these childrens not get all the nutrients they need in their meals.

Producer Yesenia spoke to Māori health researcher and spokesperson for the Health Coalition Aotearoa Doctor Christina McKerchar, about the harms that Maori and pasifika children have due to food insecurity, where linking information can be found for school performance and what communities can do to diminish food insecurity in Aotearoa. 

This week on the Monday Wire:

Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins us in the studio to discuss setting boundaries and how to navigate this.

For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori, News and Editorial Director, and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to Mariameno Kapa-Kingi about hīkoi mō te tiriti reaching Parliament, the Treaty Principles Bill passing it’s first reading, and the haka in the house in protest of this.

For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party's Simon Court, Joel also speaks to Simon about the hīkoi mō te tiriti at Parliament.

Producer Yesenia speaks to Māori health researcher and spokesperson for Health Coalition Aoteaora, Christina Mckerchar, on the harms of food insecurity on Māori and Pasifika children and what those harms will impact them.

Yesenia also speaks to Paediatric Endocrinologist and Professor at the University of Auckland, Paul Hofman, on the Ministry of Health's precautions regarding puberty blockers, and what the multidisciplinary approach would provide.

And finally, Joel speaks to the Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships at MOTAT, Katie Bundle, about MOTAT’s adopt a tram initiative.

Whakarongo mai!

Last Thursday the first reading of the ACT party’s controversial “Treaty Principles Bill” took place in Parliament. Members of the opposition joined in the hīkoi in response to the bill and were there to greet protestors at Parēmata. 

And yesterday was the third and final reading of the Citizenship Western Samoa Amendment Bill. The bill restores the citizenship of 3480 Samoan elders.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about hīkoi mō te Tiriti and the successful third reading of the Restoring Samoan Citizenship bill.

For State of the States this week they speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about United States commitments on free trade and climate at the APEC forum, a shift in policy on Ukraine, and recent Trump cabinet appointments. 

They speak to Kanak youth activist Viro Xulue about a new United Nations report calling the French response to pro-independence protestors “alarming.” 

And, with Tuesday Wire Host Castor, they caught up with protestors at the final leg of hīkoi mō te Tiriti in Te Whanganui-a-tara.

For City Counselling this week, Sofia speaks to Councillor Julie Fairey about Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s Draft Mayoral Proposal for Auckland Council’s Annual Plan for the year 2025-26 as well as a new space for homeless support in Auckland’s city centre

She also speaks to renowned Māori activist, Tāme Iti, about hīkoi mō te Tiriti and the support for its kaupapa.