The Wire with Oto

The largest hikoi protest to Waitangi Grounds in modern history took place this Waitangi, with thousands gathering to voice their concerns about the new government’s proposed policies, including a referendum on the principles of Te Tiriti, ending co-governance, and removing Te Reo from the names of public services.

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Action Station Director Kassie Hartendorp (Ngāti Raukawa), about what this significant show of solidarity against their policies means for the government and her reflections of the day.

For their first weekly catch-up since his resignation, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Green Party Co-Leader, James Shaw, about his decision to leave politics, his experience at Waitangi, and their opposition to New Zealand deploying  a NZDF team to the Red Sea.

The government has recently announced a 5 million dollar aid programme for Palestinians in Gaza through UNICEF and World Food Programme. This comes as funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees is still halted from New Zealand, as the organisation is under investigation for staff involved in the October 7th Hamas attacks. Prior to halting this funding, New Zealand was contributing 1 million dollars annually to UNRWA, and with this new aid, the government has contributed a total of 15 million dollars since October through UNICEF, WFP, International Committee for Red Cross, to civilian humanitarian aid.

Several Palestinian advocacy groups in Aotearoa have been highly critical of the decision to cut UNRWA funding due to its direct link to civilians in Gaza. UNRWA has also stated that due to suspended funding from the UK and USA, they may be forced to cease operating in the Middle East by the end of the month. UNRWA not only runs schools and refugee camps across Gaza and The West Bank, but also Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. 

Rosetta spoke to John Minto, Chair of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, about what the New Zealand government aid will mean, the importance of UNRWA, and issues that Palestinian advocacy groups in Aotearoa are noticing with media coverage of the situation in Gaza.

In December of 2023, the government passed legislation to fully reinstate 90-day trials for employers, which was campaigned for by both National and ACT in the lead up to the election. The policy means that employees can be dismissed within 90 days of starting work without a given reason. Migrant workers are proving to be disproportionately affected by reforms in the employment sector. Just in the past week, A group of ten migrant workers, previously employed by S.E.A.L. Security have been made redundant months into their three-year employment agreement, after paying up to 70,000 dollars to secure employment in Aotearoa. Etū, one of the largest worker advocacy groups and unions in the country, has expressed serious concern about what new policies in the employement sector will mean for these workers.

Rosetta spoke to Director at Etū Georgie Dansey about what 90-day trials and the repeal of Fair Pay Agreements will mean for our most vulnerable Migrant Workers.