The Wire with Sara

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with Willow-Jean Prime about Labour’s capital gains tax policy and the defunding of Te Karere and The Hui.

For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Professor Amin Saikal, Middle East Analyst at Australian National University, on Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti and the responsibility of Israel for the leadership vacuum in Gaza and the West Bank. 

Producer Jasmine spoke to Dr. Helen Murray, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Brain Injury & Neurodegeneration Research at Waipapa Taumata Rau, on the recommendation to delay our tamariki starting contact sports until their early teens to reduce the risk of degenerative brain diseases later in life. 

Producer Sanat spoke to councillor Shane Henderson about people who are struggling to pay their rates, and regulations around fireworks. 

He also spoke to AUT’s Professor of Maori Philosophy of Education Georgina Stuart on the new changes to New Zealand’s Science Curriculum.

The future of Palestinian leadership remains unclear as the current Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, remains unpopular and heavily criticised. 

One candidate for leadership is Marwan Barghouti, who has been described as a Nelson Mandela-like leader for Palestine. However, he has been imprisoned in Israel since 2004, facing ill-treatment and torture. 

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Professor Amin Saikal, Middle East Analyst at Australian National University, about Marwan Barghouti and the broader leadership crisis in Palestine.

This week on the Wednesday Wire:

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about Labour’s new capital gains tax, slashing of funding for the Māori news organisation’s The Hui and Te Karere, and the party’s campaigning plans one year away from the next general election.

And Joel spoke with Lisa Darragh, a Senior Curriculum and Pedagogy Researcher at the University of Auckland, about the government’s new maths curriculum of years 0 - 10.

And Producer Manny spoke with James Russell, Professor of Conservation Biology at the University of Auckland and Peter Morton, Coordinator of the Department of Conservation’s predator control program about an impending explosion of predator populations.

Whakarongo mai!

The results of this year’s Te Taunaki Public Service Census highlight that almost a third of disabled public servants felt discriminated against at work. The Human Rights Commission’s disability rights commissioner Prudence Walker believes that the results highlight the need for more support towards public sector workers living with disabilities. 

Producer Faith spoke to Prudence about the discriminations faced, and how we can achieve a shift in attitude, rather than just strengthening laws.