The Wire with Oto

This week on the Wednesday Wire...

For our weekly catchup, News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to The Green Party's Ricardo Menéndez March about recent changes to the treaty principles bill to include acknowledgements to Iwi and Hapu, government pay parity cuts for relief ECE teachers and concerns over Nicole McKee’s gun law reforms.

For our bi-weekly segment Get Action! Wednesday Wire Host, Oto, spoke to ActionStation’s Kareana Kee, about their petition calling for TVNZ to review their coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Producer Sasha spoke to spokesperson from Student Justice for Palestine Pōneke, Frank Mackenzie, about the Victoria University of Wellington Foundation divesting in Israeli bonds.

and Oto spoke to Associate Professor in Commercial Law at the University of Auckland, Gehan Gunasekara, to discuss the implications of the IRD sharing taxpayer data with social media firms.

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science this week, we chatted with our expert Professor Allan Blackman about genetic fingerprinting, mobile phones not being linked to brain cancer, and how eating habits can make you live longer. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about the government’s newly announced transport plan and last week’s grocery commission. 

They also spoke to Professor of Māori Studies Margaret Mutu of Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa, and Ngāti Whātua, about Cabinet’s reviewing the first draft of ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. 

On the Green Desk, Jack Marshall talked to Dung Beetle Innovations’ Dr Shaun Forgie about dung beetles and New Zealand's issues with manure.

And producer Josef spoke to Professor of Health Economics, Paula Lorgelly, about the economic impacts of Long COVID.

Last week the government announced its new transport plan, focusing primarily on car and road developments and their flagship ‘roads of national significance’. This focus on roads and car developments has led the government to pull funding from other areas, such as public transportation, walkways, and cycleways. 

Last week, the commerce commission also released its first annual grocery report, identifying issues with a lack of competition in Aotearoa’s grocery sector and increased prices faced by consumers. The report advises that the problems stem from a lack of regulation, which enables the supermarket giants to act as they please. 

This week in our catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to Katie Nimon about the government’s new transport plan and the commerce commission’s first annual grocery report. 

Last Thursday, following a six day tangihanga to honour the passing of Kīngi Tūheitia, a new Māori monarch was selected.

That monarch is his youngest child and only daughter, Kuini Nga wai pono i te po. Kuini Nga wai is 27 years old making her the second-youngest Māori monarch to be appointed, and only the second female monarch of the Kiingitanga. 

Kuini Nga wai’s ascension to the throne signals a new era and forward movement for the Kiingitanga. 

Producer Evie spoke to University of Auckland kaiārahi, Waikato descendant, and whānau of the Kiingitanga, Tui Kaumoana-Steedman about how Kuini Nga wai was selected for the role. 

They also discussed how she may take the Kiingitanga in a new direction, what issues she’ll be aiming to highlight, and how her rule may have an effect on Aotearoa as a whole.