The Wire with Castor

On Friday, FIRST Union staged protests across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch outside offices of the company Deloitte and the Philippine Embassy. The protests mark a month since recruitment agency ELE entered into receivership, and 1000 workers, over half of which were migrant workers, lost their jobs. A large majority of the migrant workers are Filipino, and have received no support from the Philippine Embassy. Hundreds of migrant workers are now still struggling financially, and many of them are on temporary work visas that are running out.

Rosetta spoke to Dennis Maga, FIRST Union General Secretary, about the protests, and what support these migrant workers need moving forward.

Also in attendance at Tūrangawaewae marae for the Kiingitanga held hui-a-motu on Saturday was author and professor of Māori studies at the University of Auckland Margaret Mutu. Margaret and Rosetta had a kōrero about the hui and what movements we can expect to see from Māori in order to protect Te Tiriti, particularly around Waitangi day next month. They spoke about the notable absence of Christopher Luxon, Winston Peters, and David Seymour from the event on Saturday and what she believes both Māori and non-Māori need to be doing in order to protect Te Reo Māori, Tangata Whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi under the current government.

E whai akei nei, coming up on the show…

For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori, Rosetta spoke to MP Takutai Kemp about the hui-a-motu held by the Kiingitanga at Tūrangawaewae Marae on Saturday, Te Pāti Māori’s calls for the New Zealand government to support South Africa’s case against Israel at the international Court of Justice, and leaked documents revealing the government's intentions to erase Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

She also spoke to Margaret Mutu, University of Auckland professor of Māori studies, and expert on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, about Saturday’s hui at Tūrangawaewae Marae.

Rosetta also spoke to University of Canterbury (UC) Professor Ann Brower of the School of Earth and Environment, who is the lead author of the recently published research paper, New Zealand’s braided rivers: The land the law forgot, about the importance of protecting Aotearoa’s braided rivers

And finally, Rosetta spoke to Dennis Maga, FIRST Union General Secretary, about the union groups protests on Friday regarding a group of predominantly filipino migrant workers who have been left in economic hardship after recruitment group ELE entered receivership in December of 2023.

As of Tuesday January 16th, certain fishing vessels operating near Aotearoa’s shore are now required to have cameras on board in order to get a more accurate understanding of the marine mammals and seabirds being injured or killed due to commercial fishing.

Between September 20th, 2023 and January 8th, 2024, the deaths of 6 Hector’s dolphins in fishing nets were identified.

Overseas, camera monitoring on board commercial fishing vessels has become standard practice. As of last year in Aotearoa, only 25% coverage of the country’s entire fleet has been reached.

Beth spoke with Professor at the University of Otago, Liz Sooten, about the impact of commercial fishing on marine mammals and seabirds in Aotearoa, and non-harmful approaches to commercial fishing.