The Wire with Stewart Sowman-Lund

The Tree Council is a community based organisation that has been advocating for the values and protection of trees for more than thirty years. They announced this week their full support for the Tupuna Maunga Authority’s restoration plan for Owairaka maunga following protests against the removal of 345 exotic trees on the mountain. Lillian Hanly spoke with Chair of the Tree Council Sean Freeman who explained the restoration plan, saying it is part of the integrated management plan that applies to all the maunga of Tāmaki Makaurau. Part of that plan is to remove the exotic vegetation and reestablish native ecology as a way of bringing back native fauna to those maunga, and restore, repair and reinstate the relationship between mana whenua and these sacred areas. Lillian then started by asking what the Tree Council’s response was to the protests.

Recently, a group of 21 mental health experts signed an open letter to MPs detailing the facts and evidence regarding assisted dying and suicide rates. 

95bFM explores the grey areas and uncertainties around the euthanasia debate that has divided the nation.

Reporter Rachel Simpson talks sci-fi futures, the precautionary principle, and the meaning of rights. She speaks to Dion Howard, who is a registered nurse and specialist youth mental health worker. They discuss the experience and point of view of professionals who see these issues first hand. 

New Zealand has a new political party. The Sustainable New Zealand party has thrown its hat into the ring for the 2020 election with a focus on, surprise surprise, sustainability. They insist they’re not a blue green party, and are headed by former green party and national party member Vernon Tava. They’re willing to work anyone across the political spectrum to achieve their goals. Lachlan spoke with Vernon about the party.

Child Poverty Action Group has launched a series of papers that highligtht the problems children face living in food insecure households. Jemima spoke to an author of one of the papers, Dr Rebekah Graham about food insecurity in Aotearoa and what needs to be done to eliminate it.