The Wire with Manny

For our weekly catch-up Caeden spoke to Andrew Little about vaping and responses to 111 distress calls, as well as an investigation into employers abusing migrant workers and National’s tax plan on Immigration including cost recovery.

And they spoke to Massey University Lecturer Dr Zoë Port about her research into an age disadvantage in our workforce that negatively impacts young people.

News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Auckland City Councillor for Manukau, Lotu Fuli, about Māori seats on the Auckland Council's governing body, the bill to lower the voting age to 16 for local elections, and the councils TWO BILLION dollar flood recovery buyout package. 

Joel spoke to Make it 16 Co-Director Thomas Brocherie about the first reading of the bill to lower the voting age to 16 for local elections.

Beth spoke to Research Fellow at the University of Otago Public Health  Department Marnie Prickett about the health of Aotearoa’s drinking water and political parties’ plans around protecting our drinking water sources.

And Olivia spoke to Arts Access Aotearoa’s Executive Director Richard Benge about the importance of art for prisoners.

A recent government inquiry outlined that close to 800,000 New Zealanders are drinking water that is 'not demonstrably safe'. The Public Health Communication Centre sent out a survey to Aotearoa's political parties about the policies they each planned to introduce to protect the sources of Aotearoa's drinking water.

Today on The Wire Beth speaks to Research Fellow at the University of Otago's Public Health Department and Spokesperson for Choose Clean Water about the health of Aotearoa's water and political parties' plans to protect our drinking water sources.

Pharmac is the government’s medicine-buying entity, and it came under fire last year for long wait times in approving new medicines. 

Arno set out to find out more about Pharmac and funding for medicine in New Zealand. 

First Arno spoke with health economist Dr Paula Lorgelly about Pharmac and medicine in New Zealand, and the National Party's plans to fund 13 cancer drugs that are not available in New Zealand but are in Australia. 

Next Arno spoke with Dr Kate Gregory from the New Zealand Cancer Society about access to cancer treatments in New Zealand. 

Finally Arno spoke with Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand CEO Peter Dickens to find out about healthcare for those suffering from prostate cancer.

Emilia spoke to Ricardo Menendez-March about the Green Party’s plans for the healthcare system.

News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins to New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association National Secretary Dr Deborah Powell. 

Arno reported on Pharmac and access to medication and healthcare and spoke to health economist from the University of Auckland Dr Paula Lorgelly, Dr Kate Gregory from The Cancer Society, and Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand CEO Peter Dickens.

And for his bi-weekly catch-up with The Opportunities Party, Nicholas spoke to TOP candidate for Epsom Dr Nina Su about their proposed Teal Card and the state of New Zealand’s healthcare system.