The Wire with Max

Controversial Canadian speakers Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux will be speaking in Auckland this Friday at an undisclosed location. The two have courted controversy over their views on Muslims, refugees, multiculturalism, and as of this week Aboriginal Australians. Earlier this month they were banned from speaking at Auckland Council venues. Their event was initially canceled but is now back on. A rally has now been organised for this Friday to protest Southern and Molyneux and their views who many label as being views of fascists and white supremacists. Sam Smith spoke to one of the organisers of the Rally Against Racism Tima Thurlow.

A new ruling by the European Union means gene-edited plants are now subject to the same tough laws which Genetic Modified products are subject to. Jack Marshall, our resident Greendesk producer talked to Professor Peter Dearden from the University of Otago’s Department of Biochemistry about GMO’s, GM’s, and other things starting with G!

New Zealand Union leader Mike Treen was attacked and unlawfully detained by the Israeli military yesterday morning. He and other international campaigners were aboard a ship, the Al Awda, filled with medicine that they were taking straight to Gaza. They had no plans to stop in Israel. Mike’s union, Unite, is calling on the New Zealand government to demand that Israeli authorities release him and the other campaigners. Mary-Margaret spoke to the union’s National Secretary, Gerard Hehir.

This week on the Monday Wire, Jemima spoke with Green Party co-leader James Shaw in studio about the Zero Carbon Bill and the Pacific Climate Summit in Fiji. Southern Cross returned with AUT Pacific Media Centre's Rahul Bhattarai and Professor David Robie who discussed the Freedom Flotilla, an Air Vanuatu flight making an emergency landing, Papua New Guinea land owners threating to close Komo airfield, New Caledonian independence from France and the Pacific Journalism Review. Damian spoke with Dr John Chaplin, a head and neck surgeon, about head and neck cancer and it's correlation with HPV. Bailley wrapped up with an interview with Jennifer Frost from Don't be Silent, faculty restructuring at the University of Auckland.