The Wire with Castor

Last week the government finally launched their Youth Offender Military Academies, more commonly known as ‘boot camps’. 

Since their announcement, the idea of the camps has caused a lot of concern surrounding their effectiveness and treatment of youth. 

The first camp has taken in 10 youth, nine of which are Māori. 

In Aotearoa’s history as well as globally, there is repeated evidence that a tough approach to boot camps hasn’t been effective in lowering youth crime, or rehabilitating the youth involved. 

On top of this, the release of the royal commission of inquiry into abuse in state care last week has amplified concerns that these boot camps may contribute to a cycle of abuse, particularly for Māori youth. 

Producer Evie spoke to lecturer in counselling, human services and social work at the University of Auckland Kendra Cox about what these boot camps may look like, and the potential impact they’ll have on Māori youth.

Last week the government released the findings of the inquiry into abuse in care that was established in 2018. This inquiry was established to investigate abuse in faith and state-based care from 1950 to 1999. Māori, Pacific, and Disabled rangatahi were all overrepresented in this report.

Now people are asking what to expect next when there is evidence abuse in state care remains ongoing, and while the government has promised an official apology and redress scheme.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to the University of Auckland’s Stephen Winter about the report, how it compares to international standards, and what we can expect to come next as a result of the report.

The health system in Aotearoa has experienced issues of overcrowding and underfunding since before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. While the current government campaigned last year on increasing funding to the health sector, most of this funding went to Pharmac and providing new cancer drugs.

Despite staff shortages in the health sector, the government has continually criticised what they claim is an overspend and poor budgeting. The new health commissioner, Lester Levy, went as far to describe the system as ‘bloated’, with similar criticisms from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in his descriptions of ‘fourteen layers of bureaucracy.’ 

Tuesday Wire host Castor spoke to the executive director of the association of salaried medical specialists, Sarah Dalton, about staffing issues in the health sector and how the government can address them.

Wire Host Caeden speaks to Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni about household and tobacco tax cuts and the lowering of child poverty reduction targets

They also speak to Fiasol Miah from the Bangladesh skilled migrants association of New Zealand about the ongoing protests in Bangladesh.

And they speak to the University of Auckland’s Stephen Winter about the results of the Abuse in Care inquiry.

For City Counselling today Producer Sofia speaks to Councillor Julie Fairey about managing construction disruption in Auckland's CBD 

Tuesday Wire Host Castor speaks to executive director of the association of salaried medical specialists, Sarah Dalton, about staff shortages in Aotearoa’s health sector. 

And News and Editorial Director Joel speaks to CEO and co-founder of Wable, a social networking platform built for neurodiverse people, Holly Fowler, and Love on the Spectrum star and ambassador of Wable, Michael Theo, about the app’s release in Aotearoa.