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Using A.I to Forecast Respiratory Disease Outbreaks w/ Dr Steffen Albrecht from the University of Auckland: 23 October, 2024

 Using A.I to Forecast Respiratory Disease Outbreaks w/ Dr Steffen Albrecht from the University of Auckland: 23 October, 2024 I to Forecast Respiratory Disease Outbreaks w/ Dr Steffen Albrecht from the University of Auckland: 23 October, 2024, 23 MB
Wed 23 Oct 2024

Recently, a study was conducted at the university of Auckland analysing the use of A.I in predicting the prevalence of respiratory disease outbreaks during flu seasons in Aotearoa.

Forecasting models are essential for hospitals in predicting admissions and subsequently allocating resources and beds.

However, during peak flu periods, and, most notably the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals across Aotearoa have been largely underprepared for respiratory disease outbreaks, hence why experts have called for improvements to be made to traditional forecasting models. 

Oto spoke to Dr Steffen Albrecht, a Research Fellow at the School of Computer Science at the University of Auckland and author of the study, to talk about the study and how A.I could help disease forecasting models in hospitals across Aotearoa. 

Changes to Freshwater Management Policy w/ Sinead O’Flynn from Greenpeace Aotearoa: 23 October, 2024

 Changes to Freshwater Management Policy w/ Sinead O’Flynn from Greenpeace Aotearoa: 23 October, 2024 Changes to Freshwater Management Policy w/ Sinead O’Flynn from Greenpeace Aotearoa: 23 October, 2024, 14.87 MB
Wed 23 Oct 2024

Oto reached out to Sinead O’Flynn, the agriculture campaigner at Greenpeace Aotearoa, for the organisation’s take on the government’s recent changes to Freshwater management policy.

This was after a number of ministers announced a new amendment to the Resource Management Amendment Bill covering Freshwater and Other Matters that would prevent local councils from notifying their freshwater plans until the Government replaces the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management.

Advocates and local government spokespeople have criticised the move, saying that it will strip power away from local councils and that the current freshwater management policy statement isn’t sufficient enough to protect Aotearoa’s water resources. 

The Wire w/ Oto: 23 October, 2024

 The Wire w/ Oto: 23 October, 2024 The Wire w/ Oto: 23 October, 2024, 105.03 MB
Wed 23 Oct 2024

For their regular catch-up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about former MP Darleen Tana’s removal from Parliament, updates to the Three Strikes Law and the government’s changes to freshwater protections.

He spoke to Sinead O’Flynn from Greenpeace Aotearoa for a follow-up conversation about the changes to freshwater policy.

And he spoke to Dr Steffen Albrecht, Research Fellow at the School of Computer Science at the University of Auckland, to discuss about a study of his analysing the use of A.I in predicting respiratory disease outbreaks during flu seasons.

Sasha spoke to Honorary Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Rashjiri Roy from the University of Sydney about her recent research linking poor body image with social media use

And he spoke to Kelly Garton, Policy Researcher from the University of Auckland and spokesperson for Health Coalition Aotearoa about cuts to funding for school lunches.

Health Coalition Aotearoa raises concerns over food quality in new School Lunches w/ Kelly Garton, Policy Researcher from the University of Auckland and spokesperson for Health Coalition Aotearoa

 Health Coalition Aotearoa raises concerns over food quality in new School Lunches w/ Kelly Garton, Policy Researcher from the University of Auckland and spokesperson for Health Coalition Aotearoa Health Coalition Aotearoa raises concerns over food quality in new School Lunches w/ Kelly Garton, Policy Researcher from the University of Auckland and spokesperson for Health Coalition Aotearoa, 18.22 MB
Wed 23 Oct 2024

The coalition government has recently been debating cutting funding entirely for school lunches, but instead have made a significant cut while continuing to keep lunches. 

There have been concerns raised by Health Coalition Aotearoa about the new supplier, Compass Group, stating a potential worse quality of food and inadequacy of future supply.

Sasha spoke to policy researcher from The University of Auckland and the spokesperson of Health Coalition Aotearoa, Kelly Garton, about the new supplier of school lunches and the implications this has for schools and children’s nutrition.

Social Media and Poor Body Image w/ Honorary Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Rajshri Roy, from the University of Sydney Australia

 Social Media and Poor Body Image w/ Honorary Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Rajshri Roy, from the University of Sydney Australia Social Media and Poor Body Image w/ Honorary Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Rajshri Roy, from the University of Sydney Australia, 16.55 MB
Wed 23 Oct 2024

Social media is blamed for many ill effects that plague modern life, and unsurprisingly a recent research conducted on New Zealand women aged eighteen to twenty-four has found that social media use correlates with poor body image.

At this period of life, it is common for debilitating eating disorders to develop. The research has found there to be a weak link between social media and poor body image, however this still raises questions about future legislations and the complexity of the relationship between young people and social media.

Sasha spoke to Honorary Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Rajshri Roy, from the University of Sydney Australia, about her recent study and other implications.

The Wire w/ Castor: 22nd October 2024

 The Wire w/ Castor: 22nd October 2024 The Wire w/ Castor: 22nd October 2024, 111 MB
Tue 22 Oct 2024

This week on the Tuesday Wire

For Dear Science this week, our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted to us about Monarch Butterfly Migration, Worms and Snails, and the Tasmanian Tiger genome. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about polling numbers and catering spending. 

On the Green Desk, Jack Marshall heads to The Shed to talk to some tinkers. 

And Producer Joel spoke to the President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, Richard Wagstaff, about a nationwide hui occurring tomorrow over worker’s concerns regarding legislation the government has implemented since forming a government last year.

Nationwide Workers Hui w/ the President of the NZCTU, Richard Wagstaff: 22 October, 2024

 Nationwide Workers Hui w/ the President of the NZCTU, Richard Wagstaff: 22 October, 2024 Nationwide Workers Hui w/ the President of the NZCTU, Richard Wagstaff: 22 October, 2024, 4.52 MB
Tue 22 Oct 2024

On the 23rd of October, a nationwide hui will be held by thousands of workers in 12 different places in the country, following policies coming into place since the current government took power last year that impacts workers’ rights, such as abolishing fair pay agreements, and mass job cuts in the public sector.

According to RNZ’s tracker, 2000 public service jobs have been cut from the period of December last year to June this year, with 7000 being cut from the public sector.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU), Richard Wagstaff, about the plans for the nationwide hui, and what the NZCTU hope to get out of this day of action.

Student Nurses Strike w/ Delegate of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Shannyn Bristowe: 21 October, 2024

 Student Nurses Strike w/ Delegate of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Shannyn Bristowe: 21 October, 2024 Student Nurses Strike w/ Delegate of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Shannyn Bristowe: 21 October, 2024, 8.1 MB
Mon 21 Oct 2024

On Saturday, student nurses rallied across multiple cities in the country; in Auckland, Whāngarei, Hamilton, Mt Maunganui, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, and Nelson, over petitioning for the government to implement paid training.

News and Editorial Director, and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Delegate of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Shannyn Bristowe, about the recent rallies, and concerns that studying nursing is gradually becoming a lot less accessible to New Zealanders.

Fiscal approach to social welfare ignores systemic causes w/ The University of Auckland’s Dr Eileen Joy: 21 October, 2024

 Fiscal approach to social welfare ignores systemic causes w/ The University of Auckland’s Dr Eileen Joy: 21 October, 2024 Fiscal approach to social welfare ignores systemic causes w/ The University of Auckland’s Dr Eileen Joy: 21 October, 2024, 20.77 MB
Mon 21 Oct 2024

The government is reintroducing a ‘social investment agency’, an organisation last seen during Bill English’s National government. 

The agency assesses the cost of individuals to the state, largely the cost of beneficiaries. Once this is assessed the government steps in to prevent those deemed most costly from creating these costs. This includes managing individuals' benefits, putting a limit on what they can spend and sanctioning them if they miss support sessions or meetings. 

The move is largely created to save the government costs, rather than addressing poverty and disadvantage at the root. 

Teaching fellow at the University of Auckland, Dr Eileen Joy says this approach completely ignores the systemic causes behind disadvantage.

Producer Evie spoke to Dr Eileen Joy about the system, how it’s implemented and what impacts it will have.

The Wire w/ Joel: 21 October, 2024

 The Wire w/ Joel: 21 October, 2024 The Wire w/ Joel: 21 October, 2024, 108.38 MB
Mon 21 Oct 2024

This week on the Monday Wire.

For our weekly catch up, News and Editorial Director, and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about the party failing to release an annual statement, the Samoan Citizenship bill, and 21 new te reo Māori names being allocated for sites around the Māngere-Ōtāthuhu Local Board area.

For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, Producer Evie talks about the Green Party using the Waka Jumping legislation to remove Darleen Tana from parliament, Gore district council’s plans to make the region an area of cultural significance and the University of Auckland’s new compulsory paper surrounding Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Joel speaks to the Organiser of the Tertiary Education Union, Nicole Wallace, about the recent union member strikes at the University of Auckland.

Evie speaks to Professional teaching fellow at the University of Auckland Dr Eileen Joy about the government’s approach to social welfare ignoring systemic causes.

And Joel speaks to the Delegate of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Shannyn Bristowe, about the recent student nurses rallies that happened across the country.

Whakarongo mai!