The Wire with Oto

The government recently announced its climate strategy for 2024, including five pillars in the different areas they plan to focus on. This government has been criticised previously for its inaction or ignorance of climate issues, particularly through policies such as agriculture’s removal from the Emissions Trading Scheme, the scrapped clean car discount, and the Fast Track Approvals Bill. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Castor spoke to MP Tom Rutherford about the government’s new Climate Strategy for 2024, particularly its focus on businesses.

Producer Evie speaks to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about the government’s five point climate strategy, renewed calls from the party to abolish the human rights commission and a member's bill that would prohibit regional councils from considering climate change in their decisions. 

She also speaks to Associate Professor in Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, David Dempsey, about the Oil and Gas ban reversal and its implications, and what energy alternatives could look like in Aotearoa. 

Wire host Sofia speaks to Research Director at The Disinformation Project, Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa, about the Employment Court’s judgement of Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles’ case against the University of Auckland over the university’s failure to protect her from ongoing and escalating abuse and harassment for her science communication during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also speaks to the climate lead at Forest and Bird, Scott Burnett, about the climate strategy announced by Climate Change Minister Simon Watts last week. 

And she speaks to Associate Professor of French at the University of Auckland, Deborah Walker-Morrison, about the France elections and the current state of French politics.

Last week, the Employment Court’s judgement found that Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles’ employer, the University of Auckland, breached its contractual obligations to protect her against ongoing threats, abuse, and harassment for her public commentary and science communication work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the many concerns Wiles raised with the university were verbal threats, being filmed without consent, and calls for her to be executed, all of which escalated both in volume and violence over time. 

In the Employment Court’s judgement, Wiles was awarded general damages of $20,000 to be paid to her by the university within 28 days.

Research director at the Disinformation Project, Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa, was called upon as an expert witness, and provided the court with a brief of evidence in support of Siouxsie's case against the University of Auckland. 

Wire host Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Hattotuwa about the judgement and its implications.

After the far-right National Rally’s dominant victory in the European Parliament elections in France, French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections for the National Assembly to be held in two rounds on June 30th and July 7th.

In the first round, National Rally came in top, however, it did not pass the threshold of 289 seats for an outright win.

After a second round of voting, a loose alliance of left-wing parties, the New Popular Front, secured the most seats. However, again, no one group won an absolute majority. 

To win an outright majority, a party or coalition needs to secure at least 289 seats.

With France now left with a hung parliament, Wire host Sofia spoke to Associate Professor of French at the University of Auckland, Deborah Walker-Morrison, about these results and what’s next for the state of French politics. 

She began the interview asking her why President Emmanuel Macron called the snap election.