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The Wire with Castor

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The Wire w/ Castor: 25th March, 2025

The Wire w/ Castor: 25th March, 2025 The Wire w/ Castor: 25th March, 2025, 104.9 MB
Tue 25 Mar 2025

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chatted with us about seal blood oxygen levels, phrases boosting citations, and an Australian man importing plutonium.

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, I ask about Sam Uffindell’s new private members bill and Winston Peters’ war on woke. 

They also speak to Senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dr. Charlotte Oyston, about a proposal to increase the maternity hospital stay period. 

And producer Amani spoke with former NZ Herald editor Dr Gavin Ellis on why he believes a digital-only strategy could shatter the future of the NZ Herald, and how he feels about the recent board-overhaul

The proposal to increas ematernity hospital stay periods w/ Dr. Charlotte Oyston: 25th March, 2025

The proposal to increas ematernity hospital stay periods w/ Dr. Charlotte Oyston: 25th March, 2025 Charlotte Oyston: 25th March, 2025, 5.82 MB
Tue 25 Mar 2025

A new government proposal would see maternity hospital stay periods extended from 48 to 72 hours. The change would reduce stress on parents and allow more time to adjust with hospital support.

To discuss the change and other support for new parents, Wire host Castor spoke to senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dr. Charlotte Oyston, about this proposal to increase the maternity hospital stay period.

Foreign Secretary Winston Peters visit to the US w/ Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller: 24 March, 2025

Foreign Secretary Winston Peters visit to the US w/ Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller: 24 March, 2025 Foreign Secretary Winston Peters visit to the US w/ Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller: 24 March, 2025, 27.97 MB
Mon 24 Mar 2025

Last week Foreign Minister Winston Peters made a trip over to the US to meet with the new Trump administration. 

On the trip, Peters carried out a number of meetings with officials such as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Peters has since revealed very little about what was discussed or achieved in these meetings, instead simply stating he was ‘very pleased’ and ‘more confident going out than coming in.’ 

The main questions ahead of the trip were around what effect Trump’s tariffs may have on Aotearoa, as well as what trade with the US will look like moving forward. However little has been revealed following the trip.

Producer Evie spoke to Geopolitical Analyst at the University of Otago Geoffrey Miller about the trip and what Aotearoa can expect to come out of it.

The Wire w/ Joel: 24 March, 2025

The Wire w/ Joel: 24 March, 2025 The Wire w/ Joel: 24 March, 2025, 56.24 MB
Mon 24 Mar 2025

This week on the Monday Wire...

For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to her about the Winston Peters meeting with his US counterpart, Marco Rubio, the recent Ipsos Issues Monitor Survey findings, and the recent developments in Israel’s war on Gaza.

For our weekly catch up Producer Evie spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about the ACT party entering candidates into local elections, ACT MP Mark Cameron criticising National’s approach to rural communities, as well as David Seymour failing to inform the Education Minister that a key school lunch provider was going into liquidation.

Evie also spoke to Geopolitical Analyst at the University of Otago, Geoffrey Miller about Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters recent trip to the US, and what outcomes this achieved for US New Zealand relations.

Joel spoke to the Political Marketing Expert from the University of Auckland Edward Elder about the most recent Ipsos Issues Monitor Survey, which recorded the government as having the lowest score since the survey started collecting data in mid-2017.

And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins us in studio today to discuss the new tv series ‘Adolescence’, and how this relates to creativity and innovation.

Whakarongo mai!

The lowest rating for the government in the Ipsos Issues Monitor Survey ever w/ the University of Auckland’s Edward Elder: 24 March, 2025

The lowest rating for the government in the Ipsos Issues Monitor Survey ever w/ the University of Auckland’s Edward Elder: 24 March, 2025 The lowest rating for the government in the Ipsos Issues Monitor Survey ever w/ the University of Auckland’s Edward Elder: 24 March, 2025, 11.66 MB
Mon 24 Mar 2025

The most recent data from the Ipsos Issues Monitor Survey was released.

The survey looks at various factors, including government favorability, as well as what areas in Aotearoa are of the most concern for respondents.

The survey recorded data from just over 1000 individuals and shows that respondents gave the government a 4.2 out of 10; the lowest score the survey has recorded since collecting data in mid-2017.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to a political marketing expert from the University of Auckland, Edward Elder, about these findings.

They started off by asking him if these recent statistics are a surprise to him.

The TV Series ‘Adolescence’ and Toxic Masculinity w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 24 March, 2025

The TV Series ‘Adolescence’ and Toxic Masculinity w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 24 March, 2025 The TV Series ‘Adolescence’ and Toxic Masculinity w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 24 March, 2025, 9.46 MB
Mon 24 Mar 2025

Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, and Producer Evie in studio to discuss the new TV series, 'Adolescence,' and how this series delves into toxic masculinity and incel culture.

International Desk: The catastrophic end to the ceasefire in Gaza and the impact on children w/ UNICEF Aotearoa Tania Sawicki Mead: 20 March, 2025

International Desk: The catastrophic end to the ceasefire in Gaza and the impact on children w/ UNICEF Aotearoa Tania Sawicki Mead: 20 March, 2025 International Desk: The catastrophic end to the ceasefire in Gaza and the impact on children w/ UNICEF Aotearoa Tania Sawicki Mead: 20 March, 2025, 9.67 MB
Thu 20 Mar 2025

Military violence in Gaza has resumed after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel collapsed.

Israeli ground troops have advanced into Gaza, and earlier this week Israeli airstrikes killed more than 400 people, including 183 children.

Wire host Caeden spoke to UNICEF Aotearoa Communications Director Tania Sawicki Mead about the situation in Gaza, particularly the impact on children.

World Vision's 2025 Price Shock Index Report w/ Head of Advocacy and Justice Rebekah Armstrong

World Vision's 2025 Price Shock Index Report w/ Rebekah Armstrong World Vision's 2025 Price Shock Index Report w/ Rebekah Armstrong, 21.56 MB
Thu 20 Mar 2025

World Vision has just released their annual Price Shocks Report for 2025, examining food price inflation around the world.

They found that while New-Zealand and other wealthier countries saw an improvement in food affordability, many poorer nations reported significantly worsened price to wage ratios. 

While the report highlights a clear need for adequate funding for global humanitarian aid, in 2024 only 47% of required humanitarian food assistance was funded, leaving millions without support.

As conflict, climate change and other global crises exacerbate conditions in the worst-off regions, World Vision is calling for the New Zealand government, among other wealthy nations, to contribute more to assist populations suffering from food insecurity.

Producer Sara spoke with World Vision’s Head of Advocacy and Justice Rebekah Armstrong about this report and World Vision’s call to action for the government. Here is that interview.

The Wire w/ Caeden: 20 March, 2024

The Wire w/ Caeden: 20 March, 2024 The Wire w/ Caeden: 20 March, 2024, 101.76 MB
Thu 20 Mar 2025

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about a potential trade deal with India spearheaded by the Prime Minister, the liquidation of school lunch provider Libelle, and the Labour-led Wage Theft Bill passing its third reading in Parliament.

For International Desk, they speak to Tania Sawicki Mead, Director of Communications at UNICEF Aotearoa, about the collapse of the Gaza ceasefire.

And they speak to Lisa Asher from the University of Sydney about the best ways to disrupt the supermarket duopoly in Aotearoa.

For City Counselling, Producer Sara spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about a letter from Aucklands local boards to Mayor Wayne Brown concerning the seventeen point six million dollar budget shortfall, as well as Auckland Council’s new dog shelter in response to an increase in roaming dogs

She also spoke with World Vision’s Head of Advocacy and Justice, Rebekah Armstrong, about their latest annual Price Shocks Report, and what the New Zealand government should be doing to address global food insecurity.

Why foreign companies can’t be relied on to disrupt the supermarket duopoly w/ University of Sydney’s Lisa Asher: 20th March, 2025

Why foreign companies can’t be relied on to disrupt the supermarket duopoly w/ University of Sydney’s Lisa Asher: 20th March, 2025 Why foreign companies can’t be relied on to disrupt the supermarket duopoly w/ University of Sydney’s Lisa Asher: 20th March, 2025, 9.02 MB
Thu 20 Mar 2025

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is encouraging international supermarket companies to enter Aotearoa.

However, researchers on retail and marketing say it will take too long for an international player to make a difference in the New Zealand market and problems with the duopoly need to be addressed first.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to one of these researchers, Lisa Asher from the University of Sydney, about this topic.