The Wire with Alex

Justin spoke to Health and Pike River re-entry Minister Andrew Little on the traffic light system which New Zealand will move into after November 29, the human remains discovered inside the Pike River Mine, and parliamentary security from antivax threats.

International Desk reports on the growing migrant crisis at the border between Belarus and Poland, which comes in the wake of the European Union placing sanctions on Belarus and Minsk saying they would retaliate.

Justin spoke to University senior lectuerer Dr Jennifer Mathers on the geopolitics of the crisis, and the University of Warsaw's Professor Renata Mieńkowska-Norkiene on the side of local politics.

Earlier today, the International Comparison of Modern Medicines published a report looking at the public funding of modern medicine in 20 OECD countries. The report showed that New Zealand was in desperate need of access to modern medicine. Patient Voices Aotearoa has long been campaigning for a double and triple in funding for access to modern medicine. The organisation presented their petition to parliament in May 2021, which called for immediate funding. Joe talks to Fiona Tolich from Patient Voice Aotearoa about this need for funding and why it’s so crucial amidst the current COVID environment.

This week on the Wednesday Wire, the show kicks off with our new producer Christina having her regular segment Dear Science with AUT Professor Marcus Jones. They talk about a new Pfizer antiviral to fight Covid-19; touch on the recent Glasgow Climate Pact; as well as discuss how nonsense words can make us think of specific shapes. 

Zazi then has her regular talk with ACT Party’s Deputy Leader, Brooke van Velden, where they speak about the APEC Leaders Summit that recently took place, as well as the 1 News Colmar Brunton poll. 

After that, Zazi talks to Professor Karin Stockin, Dr. Olga Pantos and Dr. Gabriel Machovsky about their recent research discussing how microplastics have been found in New Zealand marine mammals for the first time. 

And finally, Christina chats to Waikato District Deputy Mayor, Aksel Bech, and Vanessa Williams from the Hamilton Central Business Association, about Waikato’s shift to Alert Level 2.