The Wire with Manny

Make It 16 is a group seeking to lower the voting age to 16 in New Zealand. Jemima Huston speaks to Make It 16 member Thomas Pope Kerr about why the voting age should be lowered. They also talk about the group's case at the High Court claiming that the current voting age is discriminatory. 

Today on the Wire with Zoë Larsen Cumming: 

Zoë has her weekly chat with Green Party co-leader James Shaw on National's border policy announcement, the Green's call for paid sick leave extensions, student support during Covid 19, and Iwi-lead lockdown check points. 

Producer Aneeka Moheed brings a piece on the economic effects of Covid 19 on small businesses, talking to Bestie Cafe, Mercury Plaza and an AUT economist. 

Zoë interviews the principal of Aorere College Greg Pierce on reports of students in low decile high schools having to choose between continuing their studies or dropping out to support their families who were financially burdened by the Covid 19 lockdowns. 

Finally, Zoë interviews University of Warwick astrophysics professor and exo-planet hunter Dr. Daniel Bayliss on an asteroid heading towards the planet. 

Lockdown restrictions along with this Covid induced change to our economic climate sees local businesses forced to adapt their business models to suit these changing times. Producer Aneeka Moheed brings this package with interviews from Bestie Café, Mercury Plaza, and AUT economist Dr Jonathon Baker. 

Employees here in Aotearoa only get 5 days of paid sick leave each year. The Green Party is campaigning on a policy of boosting this minimum to 10 days.

The Council of Trade Unions endorsed this policy, so Mary-Margaret spoke to Richard Wagstaff this morning to ask if 10 days is sufficient, and how.

She started by asking how the minimum number of sick days is quantified, and who by.