The Wire with Castor

Last Friday 19 July the International Court of Justice found Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories to be illegal under international law. For the first time it amounted what Israel is doing to apartheid against the Palestinian People. 

The Court’s opinion is non-binding but can carry immense weight in the international community. It has added to pressure for Israel to end their siege on Gaza.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Kate Stone from Justice For Palestine about the ruling and New Zealand’s consequent obligations as a United Nations member state.

Yesterday the Abuse in Care Inquiry was released to the public. It came with a set of formal recommendations, including a suggestion for a formal apology from the government, compensation, and new legislation to do with mandatory reporting. 

Labour Leader Chris Hipkins also acknowledged Labour’s role in beginning the inquiry and their response to the 2021 interim report, stating, “We didn't do enough and the ball now falls to you and your government.” He added that “this must be bigger than politics.”

And Data released last week showed the number of benefit sanctions being issued by the government is up 50% compared to this time last year. This has been met with criticism but the Minister for Social Development says the sanctions are because the government is serious about getting people into work.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden asks about both of these topics, as well as a bill that was dumped yesterday because the Minister failed to turn up to its first reading. 

They started by asking about the number of benefit sanctions.

Greenpeace says they “are raising the alarm” on Fonterra’s role in derailing international Climate Action. 

This comes after the Netherlands-based Changing Markets Foundations released a report last week outlining the actions of 22 of the biggest meat and dairy companies across four continents. The report highlights Fonterra and the New Zealand livestock industry as key players in a strategy to delay regulation of agriculture emissions. 

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Greenpeace spokesperson Sinead O’Flynn about the report and Greenpeace’s concerns. 

They started by asking about Fonterra’s role in preventing international climate action.’

A recent report detailing complaints to the health and disability commissioner about disability support services revealed that the sector suffered from inadequate care standards, poor management of resources and the abuse of those in care. 

One of the suggestions made in the report was that better funding and staffing was needed to improve standards in disability care, based on complaints from workers in the sector that understaffing was impacting their ability to provide adequate care.

Oto spoke to Peter Reynolds, CEO of the New Zealand Disability Support Network to discuss staffing shortages in disability care, and the solutions needed to address it.