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Global Politics Issues w/ Professor Robert Patman, Politics and International Relations at the University of Otago, Dunedin

Global Politics Issues w Professor Robert Patman, Politics and International Relations at the University of Otago, Dunedin Global Politics Issues w Professor Robert Patman, Politics and International Relations at the University of Otago, Dunedin, 19.58 MB
Wed 5 Mar 2025

Recent developments within global politics have been under great scrutiny by many journalists and political thinkers, and now the meme phrase “nothing ever happens” may not be so true.

This past month has seen the inauguration of Trump into office and his cozying up with Putin and the billionaires. He has also implemented great tariffs onto many countries meaning everything will continue to rise in price.

Sasha spoke to Professor Robert Patman from the University of Otago, Dunedin, about these recent global developments and the implications for the world. We also briefly touched on New Zealand’s response and potential implications for AUKUS

USAID and the Concerns With International Aid Organisation Models w/ The University of Auckland's Ritesh Shah: 5 March, 2025

USAID and the Concerns With International Aid Organisation Models w/ The University of Auckland's Ritesh Shah: 5 March, 2025 USAID and the Concerns With International Aid Organisation Models w/ The University of Auckland's Ritesh Shah: 5 March, 2025, 6.42 MB
Wed 5 Mar 2025

Recently, the Trump Administration has cut 90% of funding to USAID; the largest international aid organisation.

This move has received wide condemnation regarding what this will mean for those reliant on the support provided through the initiative.

At the same time, in his opinion piece on Newsroom, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, Ritesh Shah, analyses the current international aid structure with the substantial funding cuts to USAID, and calls for international aid agencies to redirect what he says are their vested interests

News and Editorial Director, Joel, started off by asking him should other prominent aid agencies, including the New Zealand Agency for International Development, reevaluate how foreign aid is delivered.

The Wire w/ Castor: 4 March, 2025

The Wire w/ Castor: 4 March, 2025 The Wire w/ Castor: 4 March, 2025, 109.63 MB
Tue 4 Mar 2025

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Doctor Cushla McGoverin chats with us about the cleanliness of the International Space Station, colours on birds of paradise, and stretchable display materials, thanks to MOTAT!

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Tuesday Wire Host Castor asked about the new citizen’s arrest policy and its potential impacts across society.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, speaks to the Principal of Papakura High School, Simon Craggs, about the roughly 50 principals from low-income schools who have expressed concerns about the new NCEA tests.

Castor spoke to the Co-Chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa, Professor Lisa Te Morenga, about the government’s new school lunch program.

And Joel spoke to a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, Ritesh Shah, about the substantial cuts to USAID, and whether we should revise the models of international aid organisations.

Whakarongo mai!

New NCEA testing a disservice to low-income schools w/ Papakura High School’s Simon Craggs: 4th March, 2025

New NCEA testing a disservice to some schools w/ Papakura High School’s Simon Craggs: 4th March, 2025 New NCEA testing a disservice to some schools w/ Papakura High School’s Simon Craggs: 4th March, 2025, 6.6 MB
Tue 4 Mar 2025

Roughly 50 principals from low-income schools have banded together to express their concerns regarding new online NCEA reading, writing, and maths tests.

Over half of NCEA students at low-income schools last year failed reading and writing tests, with three quarters of those failing numeracy testing. 

Students will not be able to receive their NCEA qualifications without passing these tests

The alternative option to this, which is only available until the end of 2027, is to complete up to 20 additional credits in numeracy and literacy.

These principals also say that these online tests will result in a generation of students without qualifications, and will disproportionately affect Māori and Pacific students.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the Principal of Papakura High School, Simon Craggs; one of the principals criticising these tests, about these concerns, and what he suggests as an alternative to this testing method.

They started off by asking him what are the barriers that students in low-income schools are facing regarding these new tests, and what he has been seeing at his own school.

The new school lunch program w/ Co-Chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa, Professor Lisa Te Morenga: 4th March, 2025

The new school lunch program w/ Co-Chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa, Professor Lisa Te Morenga: 4th March, 2025 The new school lunch program w/ Co-Chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa, Professor Lisa Te Morenga: 4th March, 2025, 11.54 MB
Tue 4 Mar 2025

The government’s new school lunch program, spearheaded by ACT party leader David Seymour, has come under fire for a raft of problems related to its implementation.

With rollout issues continuing since the first week alongside quality and quantity concerns, many are questioning whether the program change was necessary. 

School lunches often support struggling families and students to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

Tuesday Wire Host, Castor, speaks to Co-Chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa, Professor Lisa Te Morenga, about why a school lunch program is necessary and how the new program stacks up.

Calls for Animal Welfare Police Unit w/ The University of Auckland's Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere: 3 March, 2025

Calls for Animal Welfare Police Unit w/ The University of Auckland's Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere: 3 March, 2025 Calls for Animal Welfare Police Unit w/ The University of Auckland's Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere: 3 March, 2025, 8.04 MB
Mon 3 Mar 2025

Concerns have been raised regarding Aotearoa’s animal protection system.

In his doctoral research, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere, comparing our system with Alberta, Canada’s, Ferrere refers to our system as being ineffective, underfunded, and at risk of collapse, and has called for an animal welfare police unit to address the concerns with our current system.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, started off by asking him how grave of a concern our current system is.

Recent Disability Findings w/ IHC New Zealand's Tania Thomas: 3 March, 2025

Recent Disability Findings w/ IHC New Zealand's Tania Thomas: 3 March, 2025 Recent Disability Findings w/ IHC New Zealand's Tania Thomas: 3 March, 2025, 6.48 MB
Mon 3 Mar 2025

Recently, Stats NZ have released findings from the 2023 Household Disability Survey (HDS), collected during the 2023 Census, that found that 63% of those with a disability in Aotearoa have called for better care in at least one aspect of their lives, such as with better support, reasonable accommodation, home modifications and equipment, and medical care.

The HDS found that in New Zealand, roughly 10% of children have a disability, with this being 18% of adults, equating to roughly 851,000 people.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Director of Advocacy at IHC New Zealand; an intellectual disability advocacy group, Tania Thomas, about these recently released findings, specifically for those who have an intellectual disability.

This comes as the organisation is set to release a report using these findings in the coming months, highlighting the significant hardship faced by those with an intellectual disability; reinforcing the need for urgent policy to address these concerns.

Joel started off by asking her if these findings were surprising to her.

Back to University w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 3 March, 2025

Back to University w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 3 March, 2025 Back to University w/ Global Innovator, Matt Hart: 3 March, 2025, 8.95 MB
Mon 3 Mar 2025

Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, and Producer Evie in studio to discuss students starting/going back to university!

The Wire w/ Joel: 3 March, 2025

The Wire w/ Joel: 3 March, 2025 The Wire w/ Joel: 3 March, 2025, 113.36 MB
Mon 3 Mar 2025

This week on the Monday Wire...

For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about government legislation for a four year parliamentary term, and the government giving further powers for citizen arrests.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to the Director of Advocacy at IHC New Zealand; an intellectual disability advocacy group, Tania Thomas, on the recently released Stats NZ figures showing a large number of individuals with a disability are needing better care in at least one aspect of their life.

Joel speaks to an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere, on his doctoral research, calling for Aotearoa to adopt an animal welfare police unit.

And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins us in studio to discuss students starting university for the year

Whakarongo mai!

New research shows that New Zealand and Australia have the world’s highest breast cancer rates w/ the University of Auckland’s Dr Annette Lasham: 27th February, 2025

New research shows that New Zealand and Australia have the world’s highest breast cancer rates w/ the University of Auckland’s Dr Annette Lasham: 27th February, 2025 New research shows that New Zealand and Australia have the world’s highest breast cancer rates w/ the University of Auckland’s Dr Annette Lasham: 27th February, 2025, 18.93 MB
Fri 28 Feb 2025

Research from a new study of 185 countries has found that New Zealand and Australia have some of the highest rates of breast cancer diagnoses in the world.

However, our mortality rates from breast cancer were at the lower end of the scale, and reducing by 2.1% per year - well on our way to meeting the World Health Organization Global Breast Cancer Initiative goal of 2.5% a year.

Sofia spoke to cancer genomics researcher and data analyst, Dr Annette Lasham, from the University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences about the study and how we respond to breast cancer diagnoses in Aotearoa.