The Wire with Sara

This week on the Wednesday Wire we had a packed show!

Zazi began by talking to Senior lecturer in Computer Science and the Director of Games and Extended Reality Lab at Massey University, Dr. Nilufar Baghaei, about her new research discussing how virtual reality can help treat anxiety and depression.

Frances then spoke with Shelley O’Sullivan, an educational psychologist about the month-long strike of psychologists coming to an end. 

Next up, Zazi spoke with the leader of the Green Party and Minister of Climate Change, James Shaw, about New Zealand passing a world-first Climate reporting legislation.

Then, we had our regular segment Dear Science with AUT Professor Allan Blackman. This week Frances and Allan are talked about ammonia synthesis in a ball mill, vikings in North America and what happened in the world of nylon on October 27th in 1938… 

And finally Zazi had her regular talk with Act Party’s Brooke van Velden, talking about the COVID traffic light system and the vaccine mandate for workplaces requiring a certificate of vaccination for entry.

Last Friday the government announced it’s Covid-19 Protection Framework. Aotearoa will move to the new framework when 90 percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated in each DHB region. However, critics have said that the 90 percent vaccination target for DHBs is unfair for Māori and Pacific communities. This is because Māori and Pacific vaccination rates across the country are still significantly lower than non-Māori and non-Pacific.

News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston speaks to Dr Rhys Jones, a public health physician and senior lecturer in Māori health at the University of Auckland about this critique. They discuss Dr Jones' position on the government’s new traffic light system, what Māori and Pacific vaccination rates are looking like and whether the 90 percent threshold is equitable. 

This week on the Tuesday Wire, Jemima Huston speaks to Dr Rhys Jones from the University of Auckland about the government’s new Covid Protection Framework and whether the 90 percent vaccination threshold appropriately addresses the needs of Māori and Pacific communities. 

Christina Huang continues her regular segment with the Waitematā Local Board. This week she speaks to Deputy Chair Alex Bonham. 

Joe Wickins talks to Ben Beaglehole from the University of Otago about his study surrounding compulsory treatment orders for mental health patients. 

Finally, on Tomorrow’s World, Isla Christensen and Stella Huggins look at scientific accidents and the inventions that came from them. 

This morning the government announced significant changes in New Zealand's response to Covid-19. Noah Ferguson-Dudding spoke to Professor Nikki Turner, Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre, and Professor Michael Plank, an epidemiological modeler from the University of Canterbury about their reactions to the announcement.