The Wire with Castor

The Waitangi Tribunal recently found the government’s plans to reinstate a rule requiring all Māori wards to go to a local referendum, is not in line with the government’s obligations under Te Tiriti.

Introduced in 2001, the required referendum was cited by many as a significant barrier to Māori representation in local government. Before 2021, there were three councils with Māori wards or constituencies. After the requirement was removed in 2021, 34 territories and 7 regional councils have Māori wards or constituencies, increasing Māori representation and strengthening the overall decision making process.

This Māori wards legislation follows a slew of similar legislation surrounding Māori representation and the role of Te Tiriti in politics, with the current government continuing to remove protections and ignore advice or summons from the Tribunal.

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Katie Nimon, Wire host Castor asked about the Māori ward legislation and the government’s relationship with the Waitangi Tribunal.

Last week, Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, jointly released a report with KPMG titled, ‘Counting the Cost: Estimating the economic cost of workplace bullying and harassment on New Zealand employers’. 

The report estimates the cost of bullying and harassment to employers in Aotearoa at around $1.5 billion a year, which is considered conservative as its estimate does not include all potential costs.

Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo, about the report and the importance of addressing bullying and harassment in the workplace.

Hundreds of thousands of Kiwis may not be able to heat their homes adequately this winter according to recent findings of fuel poverty in New Zealand.

Producer Ezra spoke to Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Jodi Gardner about the impact of fuel poverty this coming winter and the steps needed to move forward.

For our regular catch-up with the ACT Party, Evie speaks to Simon Court about the Party’s funding for Charter Schools and new concerns surrounding the Fast Track Approvals Bill.

Former News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, speaks to NZ Parents and Guardians of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children Coordinator, Sharyn Forsyth (she/her), and Wren (they/them) a non-binary person, parent to a transgender child, and trans activist, about New Zealand First's bill which would ban people from using the designated bathroom that correlates with their gender identity.

Ezra speaks to Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Jodi Gardner about the pressing issue of fuel poverty in New Zealand.

and he speaks to Professor of Psychology at the University of Auckland, Dr Patrick Savage about his involvement in a global study on traditional rhythms and pitches.