The Wire with Sara

On the Wire for Rāpare Thursday, hosted by News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins. 

Producer Beth spoke to Professor of Social and Community Health at the University of Auckland, Peter Adams, about the influence of the tobacco industry in Aotearoa. 

For City Counselling this week, Beth spoke to counsellor for Manukau, Lotu Fuli, about the Auckland Climate Budget and the review of Auckland Council’s 10 year budget.

Anbd producer Castor, spoke to Oxfam’s climate justice lead, Nick Henry, about a report he authored on New Zealand’s fossil fuel industry.

Oxfam has published a report on New Zealand’s fossil fuel industry, calling upon the government to immediately end the production of oil and gas. 

While New Zealand has made numerous commitments to reducing our climate impact, the new government has announced policies that promote further oil and gas production. 

Castor spoke to Oxfam’s climate justice lead and the report’s lead author, Nick Henry, about the report and how the new government’s policies will affect our emissions targets.

Despite recent years' initiatives to mitigate child poverty, it remains an important issue that negatively impacts children's development and health. Experts have proposed cost-effective solutions to improve children's neurological, physical, and mental health, emphasising the importance of the first 2000 days of a child’s life to development. 

Intergenerational disadvantage and inequity is a key cause of continuing child poverty, with up  to 30% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s children lacking their basic needs’ adequate fulfilment. 

The Knowledge Hub for Maternal and Child Health at Koi Tū has released a report aimed at the Government to implement these solutions through policy, which parents and guardians can read for their own benefit.

Olivia spoke with the leader of the Knowledge Hub for Maternal and Child Health at Koi Tū, Dr Felicia Low, about the current state of child poverty, and Koi Tū’s report on evidence-based solutions.

This week for our weekly catchup with Dr Shane Reti the discussion centred on how policy aimed at Māori will be affected under National’s coalition agreements with Act and NZ First.

During our discussion we touched on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people and He Puapua, both of which have been scrapped under coalition agreements.

Nicholas also touched on the Act Party’s treaty principles bill, which the National Party has agreed to support to the select committee stage.

To finish our interview I asked Dr Reti to clarify claims made by the Primeminister and senior minister Chris Bishop. During an interview with Q and A Chris Bishop made the claim that under Labour's smokefree 2025 plan, there would only be one tobacco retailer in the entirety of Northland, potentially making that retailer a magnet for crime.

According to the plans laid out by the director general, there would be not one but 35 retailers able to sell tobacco across Northland. I followed this up with a question about potential new vaping regulations.

The interview began with a question about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people.