The Wire with Lillian Hanly

Parliamentary submissions on the Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill were open recently, from the 6th to the 10th of November. The New Zealand Law Society presented its submission to Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee yesterday, highlighting a number of concerns about the Bill's substance, as well as the urgency with which it has proceeded. 

The Bill was introduced last month by Justice Minister Andrew Little to impose restrictions on New Zealanders suspected of terrorism-related activity overseas attempting to return home. This came shortly after Prime Minister Jacinda Arden warned extremist Mark Taylor (who is currently believed to be detained in Syria) that if he came back to New Zealand he would face “the full force of the law”

Producer Bronwyn Wilde spoke to Geoff McLay of the New Zealand Law Society about their submissions. He began by noting the Bill's blurring of the realms of criminal and civil law. 

Wellington City Council has banned breastfeeding in pools, saying it poses a risk of contamination. Mary-Margaret asks microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles if breast milk really contains potentially harmful contaminants.

International Desk talks about Bolivia and its ousted president Evo Morales

Mary-Margaret talked Peter Thompson of Victoria University on the possibility of a new public media entity replacing TVNZ and Radio New Zealand.

Justin talked to Justice Minister Andrew Little about the government's new legeslations regarding firearms and sexual violence victims and the new Sustainable New Zealand party and Bird of the Year results.

Mary-Margaret also talked to Auckland University's Siouxsie Wiles about the Wellington City Council's claim that breasfeeding in pools could cause contamination.

The Ministry of Education is reforming the education system, shifting responsibilities away from principals and the Board of Trustees. This will replace the self-governing regime created in 1989, and give more power to the New Education Service Agency. Changes will include how enrolment schemes are set up in regards to zoning, along with buildings and maintenance. There reforms arose from a taskforce report released last year. 

Sherry spoke to two principals part of the Community Schools Alliance, who oppose the reform. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori Motuhake o Tāwhiuau principal, Pem Bird, is concerned Maori students will not be supported due to the lack of bicultuaralism in the education system. Auckland Grammar School Headmaster, Tim O'connor, doesn't believe the ministry will hold schools to account due to the lack of detail in the report. 

Unicef released a report last year which ranked New Zealand at 33 out of 38 for educational inequality across preschool, primary school and secondary school levels in the OECD.