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The Wire w/ Castor: 24th June, 2025

 The Wire w/ Castor: 24th June, 2025 The Wire w/ Castor: 24th June, 2025, 76.29 MB
Tue 24 Jun 2025

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science, our expert, Dr. Cushla McGoverin, chats with us about early human subspecies Denisovan, plants having a second set of roots, and sea spiders farming bacteria. 

In our weekly catch-up with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about plans to scrap the nationwide census and concerns from statisticians around the decision. 

They also spoke to Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Victoria, Dr. Lara Greaves, about how the census changes could impact Māori and issues around data sovereignty and surveillance.

Producer Faith spoke to researcher Nusch Herman from the Co-Created Ageing Research Centre about normalising having older adults in the workplace.

Breaking the Stigma Around Older Adults in the Workplace w/ Co-Created Ageing Research's Nusch Herman: June 24, 2025

 Breaking the Stigma Around Older Adults in the Workplace w/ Co-Created Ageing Research's Nusch Herman: June 24, 2025 Breaking the Stigma Around Older Adults in the Workplace w/ Co-Created Ageing Research's Nusch Herman: June 24, 2025, 12.98 MB
Tue 24 Jun 2025

Although sixty-five is still New Zealand’s retirement age, there has recently been an increase in over sixty-fives in the workforce, for a number of reasons.

Researchers such as Nusch Herman from the Co-Created Ageing Research Centre believe that having older adults in the workplace should be normalised.

Producer Faith spoke to Nusch about ageism, and breaking the stigma around over sixty-fives still working.

Concerns regarding moving away from Census to collect national data w/ the University of Auckland’s Liza Bolton: 23 June, 2025

 Concerns regarding moving away from Census to collect national data w/ the University of Auckland’s Liza Bolton: 23 June, 2025 Concerns regarding moving away from Census to collect national data w/ the University of Auckland’s Liza Bolton: 23 June, 2025, 10.13 MB
Mon 23 Jun 2025

Recently, Statistics Minister, Shane Reti, has announced that Stats NZ will be moving away from the Census to collect data, cancelling the next scheduled Census in 2028.

The move will result in data already collected by government agencies to be used as the primary source of population data.

To ensure minority communities are accurately portrayed in national data, Stats NZ say they will be working with these communities, with plans to implement smaller surveys and targeted data collection.

However, concerns have been raised about whether this is enough.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Liza Bolton, a Professional Teaching Fellow in the Department of Statistics at the University of Auckland, about this move, and her concerns regarding moving away from the Census to collect data.

Government plans to raise age cap for cycles on the sidewalk and allow e-scooters in the bike lane w/ Living Streets Aotearoa President Tim Jones: 23 June, 2025

 Government plans to raise age cap for cycles on the sidewalk and allow e-scooters in the bike lane w/ Living Streets Aotearoa President Tim Jones: 23 June, 2025 Government plans to raise age cap for cycles on the sidewalk and allow e-scooters in the bike lane w/ Living Streets Aotearoa President Tim Jones: 23 June, 2025, 22.71 MB
Mon 23 Jun 2025

The government is considering changes to the rules surrounding who can ride bikes on the sidewalk and e-scooters in the bike lane. Currently e-scooters are not allowed in the bike line, despite many riders using it, and bikes can only be ridden on the sidewalk by young children.

The government is planning to change this, allowing e-scooters in the bike line legally, and raising the age cap for bike riding on the sidewalk.

Producer Samantha spoke to Tim Jones, President of Living Streets Aotearoa regarding these proposed changes and their implications.

The Accessibility of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression w/ the University of Auckland’s Suresh Muthukumaraswamy: 23 June, 2025

 The Accessibility of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression w/ the University of Auckland’s Suresh Muthukumaraswamy: 23 June, 2025 The Accessibility of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression w/ the University of Auckland’s Suresh Muthukumaraswamy: 23 June, 2025, 6.9 MB
Mon 23 Jun 2025

With Psilocybin set to be more available for those with treatment-resistant depression comes the question of accessibility.

Currently only one specialist will be able to provide psilocybin to patients, with concerns over how much the treatment will cost.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, a Professor in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Auckland, about psilocybin, and what should be expected with allowing psilocybin to treat treatment-resistant depression.

International Desk: “No Kings” Protests for Democracy in the United States w/ University of Connecticut’s Jeremy Pressman: 19 June, 2025

 International Desk: “No Kings” Protests for Democracy in the United States w/ University of Connecticut’s Jeremy Pressman: 19 June, 2025 International Desk: “No Kings” Protests for Democracy in the United States w/ University of Connecticut’s Jeremy Pressman: 19 June, 2025, 17.09 MB
Thu 19 Jun 2025

Last Saturday, over 2,000 protests took place across all 50 American States against President Donald Trump. 

The protests coincided with Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the US Army, and they served as a direct response to the military parade in Washington, DC.

The organisers of the protests say they aimed to reject “authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarisation of our democracy.”

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Jeremy Pressman, Professor of Political Science at the University of Connecticut about the protests and the backlash towards them from the Trump administration.

Scrapping the census, sick leave, and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 19 June, 2025

Scrapping the census, sick leave, and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 19 June, 2025 Scrapping the census, sick leave, and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 19 June, 2025 , 9.74 MB
Thu 19 Jun 2025

Statistics Minister Shane Reti has announced that the Census form will be scrapped and instead replaced with smaller surveys and administrative data.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed openness to reducing sick leave entitlements.

And tensions between Israel and Iran continue to escalate as Israel’s war on Gaza continues, threatening global security.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.

Low carbon concrete using Roman engineering with mātauranga Māori w/ Dr Enrique Del Ray Castillo: June 19, 2025

 Low carbon concrete using Roman engineering with mātauranga Māori w/ Dr Castillo Low carbon concrete using Roman engineering with mātauranga Māori w/ Dr Castillo, 17.69 MB
Thu 19 Jun 2025

Concrete is one of the world’s most polluting materials, accounting for between 5 and 8 percent of global CO2 emissions.

For the past several years, University of Auckland Engineering Faculty, Dr Enrique Del Ray Castillo has been researching and developing an alternative which could decrease the environmental impact of concrete by reducing the amount of cement required in its production.

Using a blend of volcanic ash – or pumice – and kaimoana shells, both of which are natural, local and more sustainable materials, Castillo has explored how traditional Roman engineering and mātauranga Māori could work together to make a material that’s built to last

Missile Strikes between Iran and Israel w/ Former Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley: 18 June, 2025

 Missile Strikes between Iran and Israel w/ Former Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley: 18 June, 2025 Missile Strikes between Iran and Israel w/ Former Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley: 18 June, 2025, 18.85 MB
Wed 18 Jun 2025

Admist the ongoing rounds of missile strikes being traded between Israel and Iran, Oto spoke to Professor Stephen Hoadley, a retired Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Auckland who gave us a wider contextual understanding of the situation.

He’s also stressed that his views are his own and not related to any institutions he worked for formerly.

RNZ’s coverage on story regarding trans teen w/ the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa’s Jennifer Shields and AUT's Greg Treadwell: 18 June, 2025

 RNZ’s coverage on story regarding trans teen w/ the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa’s Jennifer Shields and AUT's Greg Treadwell: 18 June, 2025 RNZ’s coverage on story regarding trans teen w/ the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa’s Jennifer Shields and AUT's Greg Treadwell: 18 June, 2025, 12.02 MB
Wed 18 Jun 2025

Content warning: this story deals with discussions of eating disorders

Recently, RNZ published an article about a young person who passed away in 2023 in emergency accommodation due to his battle with his eating disorder.

However, the article has faced backlash for its portrayal of the young person. 

Despite the young person in question; Alex, who identified as trans, the article, at his parents request, referred to him by his deadname and did not use his preferred pronouns. The article mixed in non-gender specific pronouns and the name ‘V,’ depending on an individual's relationship to Alex that was not his parents.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the President of the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa’s Jennifer Shields, about RNZ’s coverage and how this may impact trans rangatahi in the country.

The coverage of this story has also raised the question of what responsible coverage should look like, for a story like this.

According to RNZ’s Rainbow Communities Reporting and Content Guidelines, as Alex could not communicate his wishes, RNZ opted to cover the story the way they did through his parents.

Joel also spoke to the Academic Advisor to Journalism at AUT, Greg Treadwell, about the coverage of this story, and if he believes the coverage is adequate.

LGBTQIA+ organisations to contact for support and resources:

Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa

InsideOUT Kōaro

RainbowYOUTH

Gender Minorities Aotearoa

NZ Parents and Guardians of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children

Be There 

OUTLine Aotearoa: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm) for specialist, 24/7, confidential, mental health support, that also provides specialist counselling for LGBTQIA+ individuals and whānau.