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The Upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference w/ Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand’s Juressa Lee: 29 May, 2025

The Upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference w/ Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand’s Juressa Lee: 29 May, 2025 The Upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference w/ Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand’s Juressa Lee: 29 May, 2025, 13.9 MB
Thu 29 May 2025

From 9th June, the United Nations Ocean Conference is being held in France, which is co-hosting the event with Costa Rica.

More than 50 world leaders are expected to attend, with 1500 delegates from almost 200 countries. 

The conference follows the world’s first deep-sea mining application for the international seabed, which was submitted to the United States government as opposed to the United Nations regulator.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Juressa Lee (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Rarotonga), seabed mining campaigner at Greenpeace, about the conference. 

The Impact of Budget 2025 on Rangatahi and the Regulatory Standards Bill w/ Shanan Halbert: 29 May, 2025

The Impact of Budget 2025 on Rangatahi and the Regulatory Standards Bill w/ Shanan Halbert: 29 May, 2025 The Impact of Budget 2025 on Rangatahi and the Regulatory Standards Bill w/ Shanan Halbert: 29 May, 2025, 11.56 MB
Thu 29 May 2025

Last Thursday Budget 2025, the “Growth” Budget, was announced.

As part of the Budget, there were significant changes to Kiwisaver.

There are also new eligibility limits for 18 and 19-year-olds to access benefits, based on parental income.

And the ACT Party’s Regulatory Standards Bill has passed its first reading and is now before the Finance and Expenditure Committee.

The bill has been criticised for its potential effect on the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our laws. 

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Shanan Halbert about both of these issues.

The Wire w/ Caeden: 29 May, 2025

The Wire w/ Caeden: 29 May, 2025 The Wire w/ Caeden: 29 May, 2025, 83.72 MB
Thu 29 May 2025

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about Budget 2025, particularly its impact on rangatahi, and the Regulatory Standards Bill.

For International Desk, they spoke to Greenpeace campaigner Juressa Lee about the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference. 

For this week’s City Counselling, Producer Sara spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson on Auckland Council’s recent approval for new development in the city centre, as well as the latest updates in the Western Springs speedway v stadium debate

For her second topic, of national and global military spending, she spoke with Massey University Defence and Security Associate Professor Anna Powles, as well as Peace Movement Aotearoa coordinator Edwina Hughes. 

NZ Defence Spending & Increased Global Militarisation w/ Massey University Associate Professor Anna Powles and Peace Movement Aotearoa Coordinator Edwina Hughes: May, 29, 2025

NZ Defence Spending & Increased Global Militarisation w/ Massey University Associate Professor Anna Powles and Peace Movement Aotearoa Coordinator Edwina Hughes: May, 29, 2025 NZ Defence Spending & Increased Global Militarisation w/ Massey University Associate Professor Anna Powles and Peace Movement Aotearoa Coordinator Edwina Hughes: May, 29, 2025 , 37.96 MB
Thu 29 May 2025

Global military expenditure reached a record high of two point seven trillion dollars in 2024, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This is the tenth consecutive year that military spending has increased across the world.

Last week’s Budget announcement, as with declarations of investments earlier this year, in which $12 billion was committed to defence over the next four years, with an aim to reach 2% of GDP, demonstrate the New Zealand government’s interest in keeping up with global standards. 

Peace Movement Aotearoa have called this central government decision “deplorable”, as the same budget made cuts to crucial social services, and has underinvested in urgent issues within sectors like health, climate action, and infrastructure.

Producer Sara spoke with Massey University’s Associate Professor in the Centre for Defence and Security Studies, Anna Powles, about why both global and national military spending is increasing despite other crucial areas needing investment.

Sara also spoke with Peace Movement Aotearoa co-ordinator Edwina Hughes about the effects of this increased militarisation taking priority over efforts to address humanitarian issues. 

She began her interview with Associate Professor Anna Powles, by asking what some of the key drivers of this increased global military spending are. 

How Does Daylight Boost Our Immunity? W/ Chris Hall: May 28, 2025

How Does Daylight Boost Our Immunity? W/ Chris Hall: May 28, 2025 How Does Daylight Boost Our Immunity? W/ Chris Hall: May 28, 2025, 12.15 MB
Wed 28 May 2025

Chris Hall, an Associate Professor at the department of molecular medicine and pathology at the University of Auckland, has led a study that looked into the impact that daylight has on our immune system.

The research identifies that many people could be experiencing what is scientifically described as “social jet lag”. The term describes the misalignment between our internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, and our social schedule.

Chris Hall led the study to look into how important our circadian rhythm is to our immune system, and how regular exposure to daylight can support a healthy immune system as well.

To talk about this, Producer Max spoke to Chris Hall.

Tackle Games and Head Injuries w/ Professor Patria Hume from the Auckland University of Technology: 28 May, 2025

Tackle Games and Head Injuries w/ Professor Patria Hume from the Auckland University of Technology: 28 May, 2025 Tackle Games and Head Injuries w/ Professor Patria Hume from the Auckland University of Technology: 28 May, 2025, 6.18 MB
Wed 28 May 2025

A 19-year old from Palmerston North recently died after suffering a head injury while playing a private "run it straight-style" tackle game.

“Run it Straight” has been introduced as a new combat sport, involving a runner and a tackler running full speed at each other to mirror physical collisions seen in rugby league matches.

The sport was gaining prominence in Australia, with contestants winning cash prizes of up to $20,000 Australian dollars in cash, before making it’s way to Aotearoa quite recently, although West Auckland’s Trusts Arena recently cancelled one of their championships following the death of the teenager. 

Oto spoke to Professor Patria Hume, a Professor in Human Performance at AUT, about run it tackle games and the inevitably of serious injuries or deaths during these high-collision games.

Blood Cancer Treatment Funding in Budget 2025 w/ Associate Professor Rodger Tiedemann from the University of Auckland: 28 May, 2025

Blood Cancer Treatment Funding in Budget 2025 w/ Associate Professor Rodger Tiedemann from the University of Auckland: 28 May, 2025 Blood Cancer Treatment Funding in Budget 2025 w/ Associate Professor Rodger Tiedemann from the University of Auckland: 28 May, 2025, 7.58 MB
Wed 28 May 2025

Another significant funding gap in this year’s budget announcement was long-awaited funding for additional cancer treatments, particularly for blood cancer.

With no additional funding for blood cancer treatments announced in this year’s budget, patients, advocates and doctors have said that blood cancer patients have been left behind in the announcement and have called on the government to clear Pharmac's "backlog" of unfunded blood cancer medicines.

Oto spoke to Rodger Tiedemann, A Hematologist at Auckland City Hospital and Associate Professor of Cancer Research at the University of Auckland, about the lack of additional funding for blood cancer treatments in Budget 2025.

The Wire w/ Oto: 28 May, 2025

The Wire w/ Oto: 28 May, 2025 The Wire w/ Oto: 28 May, 2025, 98.33 MB
Wed 28 May 2025

For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March, Oto speak to him about the recent Budget 2025 announcement, specifically related to the: Environment, Māori outcomes and housing.

He spoke to Rodger Tiedemann, a hematologist at Auckland City Hospital and Associate Professor of Cancer Research at the University of Auckland, about the lack of additional funding for blood cancer treatments in Budget 2025.

And he spoke to Professor Patria Hume a Professor Human Performance AUT about the recent death of a 19-year old from Palmerston North taking part in a runit-styled tackle game.

Max spoke to Dan Hikuroa, an associate professor at Waipapa Taumata Ra University of Auckland, about the current water crisis that New Zealand could be facing.

And he spoke to Chris Hall, an associate professor at the department of molecular medicine and pathology at the University of Auckland about how daylight can boost our immunity.

Is a Water Crisis on the Horizon? W/ Dan Hikuroa: May 28, 2025

Is a Water Crisis on the Horizon? W/ Dan Hikuroa: May 28, 2025 Is a Water Crisis on the Horizon? W/ Dan Hikuroa: May 28, 2025, 26.49 MB
Wed 28 May 2025

Could a water crisis be in the pipeline for Aotearoa?

Sewage contaminating Oyster farms in Auckland, as well as more periods of extreme rainfall due to climate change, has highlighted the lack of investment in water infrastructure over the past couple decades.

Dan Hikuroa, an associate professor at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland, upholds a traditional Māori view of water as a sacred taonga, as something to be treasured, rather than being framed as a property right and commodity.

To talk about what we should change to protect our water in Aotearoa, Producer Max spoke to Dan Hikuroa.

The Budget for Youth: Kiwisaver and Jobseeker changes w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 27th May, 2025

The Budget for Youth: Kiwisaver and Jobseeker changes w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 27th May, 2025 The Budget for Youth: Kiwisaver and Jobseeker changes w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 27th May, 2025, 16.08 MB
Tue 27 May 2025

The Budget for 2025 came out last week on Thursday, with news for the nation on how funds will be allocated over the coming year. While some of the budget announcements were new news, the government had staggered others over the previous few weeks. In the new announcements were changes to Kiwisaver and the Jobseeker benefit. 

The Kiwisaver changes involved a 50% reduction in the government’s Kiwisaver contribution, from around $500 a year to around $250. To compensate, the government increased the minimum employer and employee contributions from 3% to 4%. While this means people will end up with similar or greater amounts of money in Kiwisaver, it also means people will have access to less money right now. 

The Jobseeker changes were also announced in the budget, with further restrictions added for 18-19-year-olds applying for the benefit. 18-19-year-olds applications will now be tested against their parents’ incomes, restricting large groups from accessing the support. 

These changes both appear to primarily affect young people. While the government claims to care so much about education and schools, they seem comfortable with taking support away from Aotearoa’s young adults as soon as they finish high school. In our weekly catchup with National’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the Kiwisaver and Jobseeker changes in this year’s budget.