The Wire with Castor

From April 1st, Aotearoa households can expect an average increase of around $10 per month in their electricity bills, as lines and transmission charges rise to cover increased costs and investment in the electricity network. 

Changes to the consumer care obligations have also come into place, giving households more of a say if their power were to be cut off.

Producer Amani spoke with University of Otago’s Dr Kimberley O’Sullivan to find out more on this and which advice she has for households which experience the repercussions of the increases.

This week on the Monday Wire:

For our weekly catch up, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about Te Pāti Māori MPs not attending the Select Committee over their contempt of the House due to their haka in Parliament over the Treaty Principles Bill and their plans to hold their own hearing, and the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act passing its final reading.

For our weekly catch up Producer Evie spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about the justice select committee releasing its report recommending the bill be scrapped, the tariffs imposed on New Zealand trade by the US last week, as well as ACT MP Andrew Hoggard facing criticism over potential conflicts of interest.

Evie spoke to Senior Economics Lecturer at the University of Otago, Murat Ungor about the impact of Donald Trump’s trade tariffs on Aotearoa and its economy.

Joel spoke to the spokesperson for Toitū te Tiriti and Professional Teaching Fellow in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, Eru Kapa-Kingi, and Māori Studies Professor at the University of Auckland and Chair of Te Rūnanga-ā-Iwi o Ngāti Kahu, Margaret Mutu, about the Justice Select Committee calling for the Treaty Principles Bill to be thrown away, with an analysis by Newsroom showing 90% of submissions were against the bill.

And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins us in studio to discuss non-linear careers.

Whakarongo mai!

Recently, the Justice Select Committee has called for the Treaty Principles Bill to be thrown away.

This comes as an analysis by Newsroom shows that 90% of public submissions were against the bill.

The committee accepted close to 300,000 public submissions, with 90% opposing the bill, roughly 270,000, 8% in support, and 2% indifferent.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the spokesperson for Toitu te Tiriti and Professional Teaching Fellow in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, Eru Kapa-Kingi, about these recent developments and how he believes the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti has come into play regarding the public submission protest.

They also spoke to Māori Studies Professor at the University of Auckland and Chair of Te Rūnanga-ā-Iwi o Ngāti Kahu, Margaret Mutu, also about these recent developments, and how Te Tiriti o Waitangi is viewed in the country overall.

The adult minimum-wage rate has been set to increase by just 35 cents from the 1st April, the lowest increase since 2013.

Announcing the move on Tuesday, Minister for Workplace Relations Brooke Van Velden says it reflects the New Zealand economy’s recovery from a “sustained period of high interest rates and recessionary conditions” and ensures that “employers and businesses can continue to grow and provide employment opportunities – which could be put at risk with a disproportionate increase in the minimum wage.”

Unite Union, who represent hospitality and other minimum-wage workers, disagree. 
On Tuesday, Unite Union organised five rallies across Aotearoa demanding the government to provide real pathways to a living wage.

They highlight that the minimum wage increase is essentially a pay cut for thousands of workers as it falls below the inflation adjustment.

To discuss more about the what many believe is this less-than-sufficient wage increase and Unite Union’s call to action, Producer Sara spoke with Unite Union’s co-president Xavier Walsh this morning. Here is that interview