The Wire with Sara

Ilena talked to Laura Revell, a senior lecturer in Environmental physics at the University of Canterbury, on the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent announcement that New Zealand will be phasing out its use of methyl bromide by 2033. She talks about how New Zealand stacks up against the rest of the world in the use of this toxic fumigant and what alternatives might be available.

This morning, Ilena spoke with Ilze Ziedins, an associate professor at the University of Auckland, who has been involved in an experiment called ‘Safe Blues’ at the university. The experiment uses Bluetooth to provide near-real-time information on the simulated spread of viruses, particularly Covid-19, and how the virus behaves in response to safety measures such as lockdown.

Ta Rē Morori is the language of the Moriori people who, according to oral history, travelled to Aotearoa New Zealand hundreds of years ago from Eastern Polynesia and settled in Rēkohu - the Chatham Islands. The last fluent speakers of ta rē Moriori passed away in the very early 1900s but a lot of work has been done to preserve the language. 

Last week, the Ministry of Education published five e-books written entirely in ta rē Moriori on their website. News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston heard about this project and wanted to speak to someone about how it came about.

Jemima interviews Susan Thorpe, who is the Cultural Projects Manager at the Hokotehi Moriori Heritage Trust about how the e-books were created. The interview becomes a broader conversation about the efforts that have been made in the past and the present to revive ta rē Moriori, as well as the battle to have the history of Moriori recognised and better understood by people in Aotearoa and across the world.

If you are interested in reading or looking at the ta rē Moriori e-books, please head to the Ministry of Education website here. 

The New Zealand Bar Association has backed the call made by the International Association of Women Judges for Afghan women judges and their families to be provided safe passage out of Afghanistan. The NZBA wants the New Zealand Government to answer this call. News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston speaks to NZBA President Paul Radich about the call and how possible it really is to achieve with so many people seeking evacuation from Afghanistan and the danger threatening women there.