The Wire with Max

This week is Te Taetae ni Kiribati Te Taetae ni Kiribati — Kiribati language week.

News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to undergraduate student at the University of Auckland Vaitoa Mallon about connecting with his Kiribati heritage growing up in Aotearoa.

Here is that interview…

News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Labour's Andrew Little about the government's response to recent dawn raids and their announcement that they would not introduce a wealth tax after the election. 

She also speaks to Action Station Director Kassie Hartendorp (Ngāti Rau-kawa and Ngāti Pare-rau-kawa) about the government ruling out taxing the super-rich. 

And she chats to undergraduate student at the University of Auckland Vaitoa Mallon about Kiribati language week.

Host Milly Smyth speaks with Daniel Hikuroa from the University of Auckland about Matariki.

Producer Rawan Saadi speaks with University of Auckland Doctoral candidate Ashlea Gibbons about the 250,000 dollar grant she has received to continue her research on the impact of fat bias on Maori in healthcare.

She also speaks to Australian-Jewish author and independent journalist Antony Lowenstein about his new book "The Palestinian Laboratory" which exposes and discusses how the Israeli occupation has been testing technology and military equipment on Palestinians.

This week, humanitarian agencies in New Zealand released an open letter to the government calling for legislation on ending modern-day slavery. World Vision and Tearfund are calling for the government to roll out legislation that requires businesses to assess where modern-day slavery may be used in their supply chains domestically and globally. 

It is estimated by World Vision that around fifty million people are in modern-day slavery with around 27 million experiencing forced labour, with a large number in the Asia-Pacific. Consumer goods imported into New Zealand are often direct products of modern-day slavery. 

To talk more about the policy recommendations that World Vision is pushing for, and the broader issue of modern-day slavery in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific, host Andre Fa'aoso spoke to Morgan Theakston, Advocacy, Campaigns and Communications Manager at World Vision.

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Karen Chhour about renters' rights and ACT's policy for 17-year-olds to be tried in adult court.

She also spoke to Professor of Public Health Nick Wilson from the University of Otago about addressing poor ventilation on public transport. 

Producer Caeden Tipler spoke to Child Poverty Action Group’s Sarita Divis about their calls leading up to the election. 

And Rebecca Kingi, who is a new mum, about funding cuts facing Nga Hau Birthing Centre. 

Producer Nicholas Lindstrom spoke to Jackie Paul, an advisor that worked on a new report into the housing crisis released by Te Kahui tika Tangata the Human Rights Commission.