The Wire with Castor

Following the 2019 terrorist attacks on a number of Mosques in Christchurch that left 51 worshippers killed, A Royal Commission of Inquiry was launched to measure agencies responses to the attack, steps needed to prevent further attacks in the future and ways to safeguard marginalised communities in Aotearoa. 

The initial inquiry was released on the 8th of December in 2020 and made 44 recommendations based on its findings.

However, the government recently announced it had concluded its response to the inquiry and that it would dismiss 8 of its recommendations, particularly ones related to firearm law amendments and crackdowns on hate speech.

For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the party’s take on the decision to dismiss 8 of the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terrorist attacks.

They also spoke about the impact of funding cuts to Oranga Tamariki on frontline services, as well as the open letter to the Green party of Germany.

On the Tuesday Wire this week...

For Dear Science, we chatted with our expert Professor Allan Blackman about the 250th anniversary of the discovery of Oxygen. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about the removal of section 7aa of the Oranga Tamariki Act in light of Ngāpuhi members gathering at parliament, and how this reflects the government’s attitudes towards Māori issues. 

They spoke to Senior lecturer in Education at the University of Auckland, Dr Ritesh Shah from the University of Auckland about humanitarian aid and ceasefire negotiations in Gaza. 

And they spoke to Dr Lisa Darragh from the University of Auckland about the government's newly announced maths curriculum changes. 

Producer Josef spoke to Sara Walton, Professor of Sustainable Business at the University of Otago, about Air New Zealand’s removal of its 2030 emissions reduction targets and withdrawal from the science-based targets initiative.

The repeal of section 7aa of the Oranga Tamariki Act was announced earlier this year, and the government is reviewing submissions on the bill this week. In response, more than 200 members of Ngāpuhi gathered at parliament on Monday 5th August to protest the change, which they claim will continue the historical mistreatment of tamariki Māori in state care as outlined in the recent abuse in state care report. 

The repeal of section 7aa also joins a raft of other legislation under this government, which has been criticised for its targeting of policies or institutions designed to uplift Māori voices or address Māori issues. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Katie Nimon, Wire host Castor asked about the removal of section 7aa and how the government is responding to criticisms. They also asked about the government’s broader approach to Māori issues, and how they plan to address systemic inequalities through policy. 

As the conflict in Gaza continues, international calls for a ceasefire have also been highlighted. Along with calls for a ceasefire, talks between Israel and Hamas have continued for months, despite disruptions. 

However, Dr Ritesh Shah says a ceasefire alone is not enough to address systemic issues within the region. Shah’s research is into the well-being and education of children and young people in Gaza. 

Wire host Castor spoke to him about humanitarian efforts, ceasefire talks, and what else the international community could do to contribute to lasting peace in the region.

He also spoke about a series he began at the University of Auckland, which is linked below with a description:

Through guest speakers and films (including several Palestinian scholars), the intention is to provide a space for staff and students within our university to learn more about how contemporary struggles in Palestine are the product of legacies of settler colonialism, racism, capitalism, and imperialism. It is also an opportunity to question some of the orthodoxies that have held problems in their place in Palestine and begin to imagine alternative futures. The series also gives specific attention to the education project in all of this—and how it has been a source of oppression, liberation, and hope for Palestinians over time and in different forms.      

The series starts on August 1 and runs over three successive Thursdays that month (August 1, 8, 15) from 4-6 pm (note, the first session runs until 6:30 pm). Those who are interested in attending can register for one or more of the seminars at this link, where you can also find more information about each seminar in the series.