The Wire with Alex

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Joel, spoke to MP Simon Court about the re-establishment of 10 polytechnics that were under Te Pūkenga and Labour’s Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill.

Joel spoke to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner for the Human Right Commission, Professor Gail Pacheco, about the commission’s calls for cross-party support for effective legislation to tackle modern slavery.

Joel spoke to the Communications and Campaign Manager for Child Poverty Action Group, Isaac Gunson, about recently released research from the organisation, that families below the income floor are struggling to cover basic necessities.

Joel spoke to Carrie Leonetti — an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, about her research showing the Family Court is using ‘junk’ evidence.

Finally, Joel spoke to Jessica Haugh from the University of Auckland, about her Master’s thesis into sexual harm prevention in Aotearoa’s music industry.

In recently released research from the Child Poverty Action Group, the research shows low-income families below the Income Floor are struggling to pay for bare essentials.

Below the Income Floor refers to the minimum income needed to live and belong.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Isaac Gunson, a spokesperson from the organisation, about these findings.

Te Kāhui Tika Tangata - The Human Rights Commission, are calling for cross-party support for slavery laws.

This follows members' bills from both sides of the House to tackle modern slavery.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner for the Commission, Professor Gail Pacheco, about these calls.

The government has announced that Te Pūkenga is set to return to ‘regional governance,’ re-establishing 10 polytechnics that were merged under the previous Labour-led government.

In 2020 under the previous Labour-led government, 16 polytechnics and nine industry training organisations were merged into the mega-institute Te Pūkenga, as a “head office”. Despite this, the polytechnics were allowed to maintain their unique images and continue operating.

Vocational Education Minister, Penny Simmonds, announced the move, to establish a vocational education system that is “locally led, regionally responsible, and future-focused”.

The move has faced backlash. The Tertiary Education Union’s national secretary, Sandra Grey, says the move would be a disaster for regional education and that the sector is being treated as a “political football”.

For our weekly catchup with the Labour Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with MP Shanon Halbert, about this move from the government.

They also discussed Te Pāti Māori members expressing concerns over Labour’s choice of running MP Peeni Henare in the upcoming Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.

Te Pāti Māori media liaison, Kiri Tamihere-Waititi, says a vote for Henare would be “wasted,” as Henare already has a seat in Parliament. She has called for people to vote for Te Pāti Māori’s candidate, Oriini Kaipara, so that there would be two Tāmaki Makaurau-based Māori MPs in Parliament.

But first, they discussed vocational education.