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Green MP, Tamatha Paul’s comments about the police w/ People Against Prison Aotearoa’s Dr Emmy Rākete: 31 March, 2025

 Green MP, Tamatha Paul’s comments about the police w/ People Against Prison Aotearoa’s Dr Emmy Rākete: 31 March, 2025 Green MP, Tamatha Paul’s comments about the police w/ People Against Prison Aotearoa’s Dr Emmy Rākete: 31 March, 2025, 11.53 MB
Mon 31 Mar 2025

Recently, Green MP, Tamatha Paul’s comments have made headlines across mainstream New Zealand political coverage.

At a panel with the University of Canterbury Greens and Peace Action Ōtautahi, Paul said Pōneke did not want to see police officers everywhere, as “for a lot of people it makes them feel unsafe,” as well as accusing police of “waiting for homeless people to leave their spot and throwing out their belongings” which she sez is a comment she received from a local MP from the Downtown Community Ministry and Salvation Army.

Paul has received backlash from some politicians, including Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, and Opposition Leader, Chris Hipkins.

However, many believe that what Paul said has been sensationalised.

On Friday, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Press Spokesperson for People Against Prisons Aotearoa and Criminology Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dr Emmy Rākete, about Paul’s comments, and how she is viewing this whole situation.

They started off by asking her how she is feeling about the reception of Paul's comments.

Potential Changes to the Supermarket Duopoly w/ Consumer NZ’s Jon Duffy: 31 March, 2025

 Potential Changes to the Supermarket Duopoly w/ Consumer NZ’s Jon Duffy: 31 March, 2025 Potential Changes to the Supermarket Duopoly w/ Consumer NZ’s Jon Duffy: 31 March, 2025, 6.84 MB
Mon 31 Mar 2025

Changes to how the supermarket duopoly in the country have been put forward by Finance Minister, Nicola Willis.

Currently there are only two major supermarket chains in the country: Woolworths and Foodstuffs, with this move aiming to establish alternative options to how these companies operate.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Chief Executive of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy, about these developments, and how the organisation are feeling about them.

They started off by asking him how much of a concern the current duopoly is.

‘Adolescence,’ Fandoms, and Exploring Soft Power w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 24 March, 2025

‘Adolescence,’ Fandoms, and Exploring Soft Power w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 24 March, 2025 ‘Adolescence,’ Fandoms, and Exploring Soft Power w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 24 March, 2025 , 8.3 MB
Mon 31 Mar 2025

Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, is studio to continue their discussion into the Netflix TV series, 'adolescence,' fandoms, and 'soft-power'! 

The Wire w/ Caeden: 27 March, 2025

 The Wire w/ Caeden: 27 March, 2025 The Wire w/ Caeden: 27 March, 2025, 110.91 MB
Thu 27 Mar 2025

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about New Zealand First’s declared “war on woke”, proposed Resource Management Act reform, and Labour’s calls for the government to condemn Israel for their recent military assault on Gaza.

For International Desk, they spoke to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg accidentally being added to a group chat top US officials were using to make war plans. 

And they spoke to Mike Smith (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) about National MP Joseph Mooney’s members bill that would abolish people’s right to take legal action against companies over damage to the climate. 

News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey on submissions for Auckland Council’s long-term plan, ‘bed tax,’ and discussions around equity in the upcoming election.

And they spoke to Chief Executive of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand, Letitia Harding, about a recently released study showing vaping has not lowered smoking habits in young people in Aotearoa.

New Vape Study Findings w/ the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand's Letitia Harding: 27 March, 2025

 New Vape Study Findings w/ the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand's Letitia Harding: 27 March, 2025 New Vape Study Findings w/ the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand's Letitia Harding: 27 March, 2025, 5.83 MB
Thu 27 Mar 2025

New findings have shown that vaping has not lowered smoking habits in young people in Aotearoa.

The study, published in The Lancet, looked at the daily smoking rates of 14 to 15 year olds, from 1999 to 2023, and shows that the introduction of vaping and subsequent popularity of the smoking device has not helped in lower daily smoking rates in Aotearoa.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the Chief Executive of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand, Letitia Harding, about this study, and how the organisation hopes the government will react to these findings.

They started off by asking if the findings in the study were surprising to her.

NZ First’s “war on woke”, proposed RMA reforms, and New Zealand’s support for Palestine w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 27 March, 2025

 NZ First’s “war on woke”, proposed RMA reforms, and New Zealand’s support for Palestine w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 27 March, 2025 NZ First’s “war on woke”, proposed RMA reforms, and New Zealand’s support for Palestine w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 27 March, 2025, 8.99 MB
Thu 27 Mar 2025

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters gave a “State of the Nation” speech last weekend where he strongly criticised Labour and announced his party was declaring a “war on woke.”

The government has announced a new replacement for the Resource Management Act, looking to pass it before the next election.

And Labour Foreign Affairs spokesperson David Parker has criticised the government for not condemning Israel in the context of recent military action and the blocking of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

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

International Desk: The Atlantic editor-in-chief was accidentally texted war plans by top US security officials w/ Yale Daily News’ Andre Fa’aoso: 27 March, 2025

 International Desk: The Atlantic editor-in-chief was accidentally texted war plans by top US security officials w/ Yale Daily News’ Andre Fa’aoso: 27 March, 2025 International Desk: The Atlantic editor-in-chief was accidentally texted war plans by top US security officials w/ Yale Daily News’ Andre Fa’aoso: 27 March, 2025, 11.23 MB
Thu 27 Mar 2025

Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal group chat with top United States security officials who were discussing military plans for strikes on Yemen.

The group chat discussed operational details, and officials, including the Vice President JD Vance, seemed unaware of Goldberg’s presence. 

Jeffrey Goldberg initially left out some of these sensitive details in his article on the group chat but has released more specific information after the Trump administration downplayed the situation and said no classified information was shared.

For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about this issue.

The National MP’s bill that would abolish people’s right to take legal action against polluting companies w/ Mike Smith of “Smith v Fonterra”: 27 March, 2025

 The National MP’s bill that would abolish people’s right to take legal action against polluting companies w/ Mike Smith of “Smith v Fonterra”: 27 March, 2025 The National MP’s bill that would abolish people’s right to take legal action against polluting companies w/ Mike Smith of “Smith v Fonterra”: 27 March, 2025, 8.47 MB
Thu 27 Mar 2025

National MP Joseph Mooney has introduced a members bill that would remove people’s right to take legal action against companies for their impact on the climate.

The most prominent case this would impact is Mike Smith’s (Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahu) Smith v Fonterra. 

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Smith about this proposed legislation and the potential impact on his case, which remains ongoing.

CPAG calls on Ministers to reverse lunch cuts with Budget bid w/ CPAG Governing Committee Deputy Chair Rich Greissman: 26 March, 2025

 CPAG calls on Ministers to reverse lunch cuts with Budget bid w/ CPAG Governing Committee Deputy Chair Rich Greissman: 26 March, 2025 CPAG calls on Ministers to reverse lunch cuts with Budget bid w/ CPAG Governing Committee Deputy Chair Rich Greissman: 26 March, 2025, 26.2 MB
Wed 26 Mar 2025

The free school lunch program has been in the headlines here in Aotearoa for several weeks after facing significant impacts to their quality and delivery following a complete restructure of the program led by associate education minister David Seymour.

Many schools have reported late deliveries of meals beyond the lunch period, plastic packaging melting into the food and one student even experiencing burns from the packaging that required medical attention.

This, of course, has the greatest impact on the more than 150,000 Tamariki living in severe poverty, who relied on programs like Ka Ora Ka Ako to receive daily meals.

In response, the Child poverty action group has made a call to senior government ministers and Finance Minister Nicola Willis to restore the funding that was cut from the school lunches program so that schools across the motu could receive meals from local community suppliers.

Oto spoke to Rich Greissman - Deputy Chair of the Child Poverty Action Group's Governing Committee, to discuss the group’s call and why it’s important for the government to ensure the provision of healthy school lunches to Tamariki.

The Wire w/ Oto: 26 March, 2025

 The Wire w/ Oto: 26 March, 2025 The Wire w/ Oto: 26 March, 2025, 111.78 MB
Wed 26 Mar 2025

For their weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke to Ricardo Menendez-March about the government's new replacement to the Resource Management Act, The Green's call for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, and renewed calls for executive MP support of Chloe Swarbrick's members' bill to Sanction Israel 

For this week’s Green Desk, producer Liam speaks to Brent Bielby, manager of EcoMatters’ Bike Hubs, a community project aimed at encouraging more people to take up cycling.

Oto spoke to Rich Greissman - Deputy Chair of the Child Poverty Action Group about their call to senior Government Ministers and finance Minister Nicola Willis to restore funding to Ka ora Ka Ako, the healthy school lunches programme.

And, for this week’s Get Action! Oto spoke to founding chair of Te Taiao o Kāwhia Moana - John Forbes about his group’s petition to remove vehicle access from vulnerable areas of the Kāwhia harbour.