The Wire with Castor

Bowel Cancer NZ has called the changes to screening ‘a step backwards for health equity.’ 

Māori face 50% and Pacific peoples 63% higher death rates from the disease once diagnosed. Māori, in particular, are diagnosed with bowel cancer an average of 10 years earlier than the general population.The organisation says a standard screening age does not adequately address the increased risk that Māori and Pasifika communities face.

Just one week earlier Bowel Cancer New Zealand presented proposals to the Health Minister -  detailing how parity with Australia – which screens from age 45 – could be fully achieved. 

The proposals also outlined how to ensure equitable screening access for Māori and Pacific communities, who face bowel cancer risk a decade earlier.

On Friday, Producer Evie spoke to Bowel Cancer NZ Chief Executive Peter Huskinson about the changes to screening and what impacts it will have on patients.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour party Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about recent issues with the school lunch programme and the introduction of legislation that would change parliamentary terms to 4 years. 

For International Desk, they speak to Professor Richard Jackson from the University of Otago about the instability of United States foreign policy.

And they speak to Nicole Wallace from the Tertiary Education Union and Sean Sturm (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa), Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, about today’s strike.

For City Counselling, News and Editorial Director, Joel, speaks to Councillor Shane Henderson about Auckland Council recommitting $15 million in funding to restore the historic St James Theatre, and plans to convert over half of Takapuna Golf Course into wetlands.

They also speak to Retired Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of Auckland, Stephen Hoadley, about Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Velenskyy and US President, Donald Trump’s spat at the Oval Office, and Zelenskyy pursuing a mineral trade between the two nations.

The United States has frequently been in the news cycle recently for the Trump administration’s unstable foreign policy decisions.

This includes their decisions to cut 90% of USAID foreign contracts and to pause military aid to Ukraine following a fiery meeting between the leaders of both countries.

University of Otago’s Professor Richard Jackson describes President Trump’s behaviours as a threat to global order and security.

For International Desk this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to him about the instability of United States foreign policy and the global ramifications of this.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following his clash with US President, Donald Trump, has once initiated discussions to move forward a minerals deal with his US counterpart.

During the original discussions, Trump, alongside US Vice President, JD Vance, berated Zelenskyy, which resulted in the Ukrainian President walking out of the Oval Office without signing a minerals deal between the two nations, which the White House says is a precursor to peace talks.

This all comes as the US has abruptly halted US military aid to Ukraine.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the honorary academic and retired Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland, Stephen Hoadley, about this clash, and his opinion that Trump will do a u-turn and start providing military aid to Ukraine, despite the US aligning closer to Russia.

They started off by asking how important this minerals deal is regarding the relationship between the US and Ukraine.