95bFM: The Wire

Recently, commentators and industry voices have been raising the alarm about the state of our public health service while thousands of nurses strike for better conditions. One facet of this is concerns over inadequate nurse staffing compounded by the underhiring of nurse graduates. Leaks from Health New Zealand last week show reforms that will ensure nurse graduates are offered some work, but they will also be offered fewer hours of support and training. Dr Sue Adams, a senior lecturer of Nursing specialising in developing the Nursing workforce at the University of Auckland has called Health New Zealand's move wrong-footed. Producer Emmanuel spoke to Dr Adams to discuss the implications of these reforms, the state of the public health system as a whole and the silencing of nurses raising concerns.

Hundreds of actors, directors and other film industry professionals, including the likes of Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton have signed a pledge, which was submitted by the group “Film Workers for Palestine”, where they have vowed not to work with Israeli film institutions that they say are “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people”, the pledge is inspired by the cultural boycott that contributed to the end of apartheid in South Africa. Taking it back to last year, Will Alexander, a New Zealand actor who has appeared on Shortland Street in the past, chose to go on a hunger strike due to what he referred to as the New Zealand government being complicit in an ongoing genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people. As he has personally acted against Israel in the past, Producer Max spoke to Will to get his opinion on the news of other global actors choosing to strike against Israel and how an actor can shape public perception.

When a White House reporter asked the President of the United States, Donald Trump, whether he was ready to move to the “second phase” of sanctions against Russia and Vladimir Putin earlier this week, Trump responded with a blunt “yeah I am” and chose not to elaborate any further. Following this, the European Union's most senior sanctions envoy was confirmed to be holding talks with US counterparts, which were reported to have taken place yesterday. The main topic was to look for tougher measures to weaken Vladimir Putin's war machine, after Russia launched its largest-ever airstrike against Ukraine this past weekend. To discuss what the “second phase” of sanctions against Russia could be, and how it could impact the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Producer Max talked to Stephen Hoadley, a retired professor of international relations at the University of Auckland.

For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Wednesday Wire host Oto spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the government's announcement to expand support services for rough sleepers, Green MP Benjamin Doyle's resignation from Parliament and Erica Stanford's recently announced measures to crack down on overstayers. And, for this week's Get Action! He spoke with Fiona McDonald from Education Outdoors New Zealand about her petition to keep outdoor education on the list of senior curriculum subjects. Wire producer Max spoke to Stephen Hoadley - a retired professor in international relations, to discuss the potential for more European and US sanctions against Russia. And he also spoke to Will Alexander, a former actor on Shortland Street to discuss the recent global news of an Actors strike against Israel. And Wire producer Manny spoke to Dr Sue Adams, Senior Lecturer of Nursing, to discuss Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora's nursing reforms leaked last week and their implications for the workforce.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science, our expert, Allan Blackman, chatted with us about the Voyager One getting really hot in space, breakfast impacting life expectancy, and nuclear fusion in Palladium metal.  For our weekly catchup with the National Party, News director Joel spoke to MP Carl Bates the recent Budget documents have shown an almost $8.5 billion hole in future funding, the government's expansion of support for those rough sleeping, and changes to Auckland Transport. Producer Faith spoke to researcher and epidemiologist from Massey University, Professor Jackie Benschop, about the changing risk factors of leptospirosis in Aotearoa. She also spoke to tax expert Nick Miller from Tax Justice Aotearoa about big tech companies' tax avoidance, and what steps the government needs to take to address it.

Aotearoa continues to have one of the highest leptospirosis rates among developed countries, with flooding (notably the Hawkes Bay floods in 2023) being one of the main catalysts.  A recent study shows that other causes include exposure to rodents, working with uncovered cuts, and handling of livestock. The carried lepto strains are currently not protected by any existing vaccines. Last week, producer Faith spoke to researcher and epidemiologist Professor Jackie Benschop from Massey University about the disease, and what needs to be done. 

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to MP Simon Court about the party's stance on the Paris Agreement. Joel also speaks to Dr Maria Armoudian, an Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland, the director of the University's Sustainability Hub, and the co-director of the Ngā Ara Whatū Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society at the University, about the ACT Party's stance on the Paris Agreement, and the importance of the framework. And Alex speaks to The University of Auckland's Dr Stephanie D'Souza about a study showing that high-level rugby players faced an increased risk of Alzheimer's and other dementias at later ages. Whakarongo mai!

Last week, a study was published in the Sports Medicine Journal revealing that over an extended period, male high-level rugby players were more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative diseases than the general population. This comes as increasing research and attention is being paid to head trauma, and the way it affects the individual long term. Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Dr Stephanie D'Souza, co-author of the study and Senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, about the Study's results, what they tell us about head and brain injuries, and what that means for New Zealand's national sport.

Recently, ACT Party Leader, David Seymour, announced the party's position statement on climate, saying that if the Paris Agreement isn't reformed, the country should leave the agreement. The Paris Agreement, signed by New Zealand by the then National-led government in 2016, aims to keep the global average temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an overall aim of keeping the temperature increase to 1.5°C. Currently, Aotearoa is one of 195 UN parties to adopt this framework. If the country were to leave the Paris Agreement, the country would join the likes of the US, who signed an executive order to withdraw this year, and Iran, Libya, and Yemen, who have never formally joined the agreement. For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party's Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to him about the Paris Agreement, and our future with this framework.

Following on from my chat with MP Simon Court, I spoke to Dr Maria Armoudian, an Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland, the director of the University's Sustainability Hub, and the co-director of the Ngā Ara Whatū Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society at the University, on the ACT Party's stance on the Paris Agreement. ACT's stance on the Paris Agreement has received substantial criticism. Despite NZ First also being in support for moving away from the Paris Agreement, National have been staunch on continuing with this framework, alongside the Opposition Parties. Greenpeace campaigner, Amanda Larsson, has referred to ACT Party Leader David Seymour's comments regarding the framework as “rage-baiting the extremist edge of the farming community to grab headlines” and that Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, “mustn't bite”. This comes as Luxon indicated last week changes to our methane targets. Methane makes up almost a third of global warming, and is over 80x more powerful than CO₂ in the short term. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to Armoudian about this, starting with how important the Paris Agreement is, and what exactly the framework is.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Daniel Thomas all about ‘interactions': strangers who have the same reactions to movies are more likely to become friends, a study has found that apes do have object permanence, and spiders use trapped fireflies to catch more prey.  Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!

Act Party MP Todd Stephenson has recently re-lodged his End of Life Choice Amendment Bill, and incorporated all 25 recommendations from the Ministry of Health's independent review. Many doctors believe that in order to effectively carry out assisted dying practices, they need to be properly supported. Psychological medicine researcher Dr. Aida Dehkhota recalls that while most of these doctors and nurses affirm their patients' autonomy and right to choose… challenges still persist. Producer Faith spoke to Dr. Dehkhota about how these practitioners can be better supported, and some of the challenges faced on the frontlines.

Act Party MP Todd Stephenson has recently re-lodged his End of Life Choice Amendment Bill, and incorporated all 25 recommendations from the Ministry of Health's independent review. Many doctors believe that in order to effectively carry out assisted dying practices, they need to be properly supported. Psychological medicine researcher Dr. Aida Dehkhoda recalls that while most of these doctors and nurses affirm their patients' autonomy and right to choose… challenges still persist. Producer Faith spoke to Dr. Dehkhoda about how these practitioners can be better supported, and some of the challenges faced on the frontlines.

The Tawaki Project based at the University of Otago and driven by the mahi of international researchers, has taken a deep-dive into the population genetics of three Aotearoa crested penguin species – tawaki/Fiordland penguins, erect-crested penguins, and Eastern rockhopper penguins. Findings reveal how genetic health and marine habitat changes have impacted these species. For this week's Green Desk, Host Sara spoke with co-leader of the project, Dr Thomas Mattern about what the study learned about these penguin populations, starting with a general overview of the research

In the past week, we've seen several noteworthy legislative moves across sectors.  First, the government is seeking to address New Zealand's supermarket duopoly as the cost of groceries for kiwi remains high across the motu.  Economic Minister Nicola Willis announced numerous legislative changes that she hopes will improve supermarket competition in New Zealand. Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has also shared some proposed changes to the Alcohol Sale and Supply Act, including limiting barriers to the approval of liquor licenses and making it easier to provide alcohol in special circumstances. Finally, Defence Minister Judith Collins has approved changes that make it easier for the Defence Force to cover the operations of striking workers. 

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Daniel Thomas all about ‘interactions'  For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Sara spoke to MP Carl Bates about the government's plans to fix up the supermarket duopoly, changes to the Alcohol Sale and Supply act, and Judith Collins legislation for Defence Force workers For Green Desk, Sara spoke to University of Otago's Dr Thomas Mattern about the Tawaki Project on New Zealand's penguin populations Faith spoke to psychological medicine researcher Dr. Aida Dehkhoda about assisted dying, and how doctors, patients, and their families can be better supported

As we venture deeper into the second half of President Donald Trump's first year of his second term, his actions continue to sow chaos and undermine stability across the globe. Under this Trump Administration, the US has increasingly acted as a ‘rogue state' - a term used to denote both uncertainty in international politics, and oppressive domestic policies. Producer Alex spoke to Associate Professor and Programme Director for Global Studies at the University of Auckland, Chris Ogden, about how Trump has turned America into a Rogue State, and how that will impact the world.  

An open letter signed by over 20 AI experts has been sent to the government, expressing the urgent need for AI regulation in Aotearoa New Zealand. The letter points to low trust, as well as potential harms of AI, as serious issues that need to be addressed. The experts have called for regulations and guardrails to support regulatory confidence and innovation, and reduce harm from deepfakes, fraud, and environmental costs, among others. Producer Alex spoke to The University of Canterbury's Dr Cassandra Mudgway about how unregulated AI enables gendered harm against women and vulnerable demographics through Deepfakes and other AI. Content Warning: This story mentions Image Based Sexual Abuse.  

New research, ‘Indigenous Rights Beyond the Liberal Frame,'  has shown that certain human rights principles in the country are ironically being used to restrain Māori governance and tino rangatiratanga. On Thursday last week, Intern Zanoor spoke to Andrew Erueti, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Auckland and the lead of the study, about this study.

Former Australian magistrate, David Heilpern, has recently told ABC's Four Corners that "Governments are underestimating the reach and threats of [the sovereign citizenship movement]”, following the killings of two police officers. The alleged killer, Dezi Freeman, has expressed strong support for sovereign citizenship online. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel, spoke to Stephen Young, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Otago, on ‘sovereign citizenship,' what this movement looks like here in Aotearoa, and whether it should be seen as a concern.

Early last week, ACT MP, Todd Stephenson, re-lodged his End of Life Choice Amendment Bill, which seeks to expand the eligibility of the End of Life Choice Act. This follows recommendations from the Ministry of Health's office review into the law, which was an official requirement of the original 2019 Act. Stephenson's bill has accepted all 25 recommendations. National's coalition agreement with ACT requires any proposed changes to the Act having to be progressed through as a member's bill. As well as this, Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche, has not ruled out absorbing ministries such as the Ministry of Women and Ministry of Pacific People into larger ministries. In 2023, the ACT Party had campaigned on removing these ministries. And last week, The Justice Select Committee report into four-year parliamentary terms recommended a referendum on the potential move, but had recommended some provisions of ACT Party Leader, David Seymour, be scrapped. These provisions include an incoming government only being allowed a four-year term if the government agreed to give the opposition the majority in the select committee. This would mean that some governments would be three-terms, and some would be four terms. For our weekly catchup with ACT MP Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to him about all these topics, starting with Todd Stephenson's members bill.

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to MP Simon Court about ACT MP Todd Stephenson's members bill being re-introduced to develop the End of Life Choice Act, Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche's potential changes to different multiple ministries, and the Select Committee's recommendations regarding four-year parliamentary terms. Producer Alex spoke to Senior Law Lecturer at the University of Canterbury, Dr Cassandra Mudgway about the need for AI regulations in regards to protecting women and vulnerable communities from AI-based harms. Joel also spoke to Stephen Young, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Otago, on ‘sovereign citizens,' following the killings of two Australian police officers, with the alleged perpetrator, Dezi Freeman, having expressed strong support for the movement online. Alex spoke with the Programme Director and Associate Professor in Global Studies at the University of Auckland, Chris Ogden, about Trumps America acting as a “rogue state”. And on Thursday, Intern Zanoor spoke to Andrew Eruiti, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Auckland, about his new research, showing that certain principles of human rights in the country are ironically being used to restrain Māori governance and tino rangatiratanga. Whakarongo mai.

The Trump administration's crackdown on both tertiary education and immigration is creating an uncertain environment for students in the United States, particularly international students.  It also comes as the administration has slashed research funding, rolled back protections for disadvantaged student groups, threatened lawsuits against colleges, dismantled the education department and more. For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Yale Daily News' Andre Fa'aoso, about what it's like to be an international student in the United States right now. 

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, regular Wire Host Caeden spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about four-year parliament terms, the High Court challenge against the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora, and the Public Services Commissioner investigating potential changes to several lived experience ministries. For International Desk, they spoke to Andre Fa'aoso from the Yale Daily News about the current experiences of international students in the United States, especially as the Trump administration targets Universities for funding cuts. For City Counselling this week, Producer Sanat spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about a new plan up for limited consultation to build higher-density housing within the city.  He also spoke to the University of Auckland's Associate Professor of Pacific Studies Gordon Nanau about the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum and the surrounding geopolitical tensions between Pacific Island nations.

A select committee report has recommended going ahead with a referendum on four-year Parliament terms. Māori health providers have brought a case to the High Court asking for a declaration of inconsistency between the Government's disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. And the Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche, is currently considering a “major shakeup” of several ministries, including those for Women, Pacific Peoples, Disabled People, and Māori Development. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, regular Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.

  Auckland Council will go to iwi authorities, government ministries and local boards for consultation on a draft plan that is proposing to increase intensification in the inner suburbs and strengthen hazard rules for new buildings.  Auckland's population will cross 2 million people  in the 2030's however there is not currently enough housing available in the market to house everyone who calls Auckland home.  This is exacerbated by affordability issues, where many renters and first-home buyers are being priced out of the market.  The Prime Minister also recently said that he wants to see consistent house price growth as the country grapples with a long-tailed recession.  Producer Sanat talked to Councillor Julie Fairey about this new plan to zone for nearly 2 million new dwellings in the city and why it is that Auckland Council is pursuing this change in the current moment.

“When Genocide Wasn't News” is a recently released Canadian book that documents major Canadian news organisations' reporting on Gaza. The book claims the media has “whitewashed Israeli violence, dehumanised Palestinians and smeared a growing protest movement.” Gabriela Perdomo Páez, Assistant Professor of journalism at Mount Royal University, says journalists who support peace efforts can easily be accused of being “biased” in favour of those promoting peace.  For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Perdomo Páez about Canadian news coverage of Gaza.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about the scrapping of NCEA, the opening of an FBI Office in Wellington, and the latest unemployment rate.  For International Desk, they spoke to Assistant Professor in Journalism at Mount Royal University, Gabriela Perdomo Páez, about Canadian news coverage of Gaza. For City Counselling this week, Producer Sanat spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson about the state of Local Democracy and a new funding mechanism for councils called regional deals. He also spoke to Forest and Bird's General Policy Manager Richard Capie about the Government's new proposals around conservation land that could see a significant amount of conservation land carved out for commercial use.  And he spoke to Professor Meihana Durie about the World Indigenous People's Conference on Education, an exciting international event happening this November at the AUT campus about the international global indigenous education movement. 

With World Indigenous People's Day coming up this Saturday we had an opportunity to talk to Professor Meihana Durie, who is the Co-Chair of this year's World Indigenous Peoples' Conference on Education this November.  WIPCE is one of the world's most significant gatherings for Indigenous educators and thought leaders, returning to Aotearoa for the first time in 20 years It will bring together over 2,000 Indigenous experts and creatives from 20+ countries - all focused on education, language, climate, arts, and decolonisation. Professor Durie is a leading voice in Māori education and kaupapa Māori health. Producer Sanat wanted to understand how this conference fits into the broader global indigenous right's movement so I started by asking Professor Durie about the conference's kaupapa.   

The deadline for enrolling to vote in Local elections and nominations for candidates closed last week, with last minute pushes across the country to make sure as many seats as possible were being contested.  There were concerns from the Electoral Commission and Local Councils across the country that some seats might go uncontested or only have one person running. Producer Sanat wanted to understand what the state of local democracy is in Auckland and whether the council is doing enough to make sure it is healthy and thriving.  Also in today's discussion is a conversation about Regional Deals. Recently Auckland Council signed a memorandum of understanding with the government in order to begin “negotiating” a regional deal.  Producer Sanat wanted to understand what a regional deal is and what it can do for Auckland, especially as recent unemployment and homelessness figures suggest that our city has been hit hardest by the recent economic downturn.  He started off by asking Councillor Shane Henderson about the state of Auckland's Local Democracy.

Recently, AI-enabled CCTV cameras, number plate recognition systems and other smart technologies have been rolled out in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.While information about these technologies is limited, what is known is that they're primarily being used to detect traffic violations at the moment, although ethical concerns have been raised about how this technology could be used in the future. Oto spoke to Dr Mohsen Mohammadzadeh, A senior lecturer in the school of architecture and planning in the faculty of engineering and design at the university of Auckland about the rollout this new AI enabled surveillance technology in Auckland and it's ethical implications.

As Israel's war in Gaza nears its second full year since October 7th, 2023, multiple aid agencies and humanitarian groups have said that the prevalence of famine within the strip has gone beyond critical levels, with elderly Palestinians now succumbing to malnutrition-related deaths alongside the deaths amongst children that were reported earlier this year. Israel, who have maintained a blockade on the Gaza strip since 2007, began significantly restricting the amount of aid entering the enclave following the beginning of the war. While spokespeople from the government have told the international community they were allowing adequate levels of aid to enter the strip during humanitarian pauses, humanitarian groups have said the volume of aid entering the strip was far below the level needed, and that reported attacks on both aid workers and Palestinians waiting for aid by IDF personnel weakened Israel's claims of distributing aid effectively.  Oto spoke to Dr Ritesh Shah, a Senior Lecturer Critical Studies in Education at the University of Auckland to discuss why Israel has been facing international condemnation for its handling of aid distribution in Gaza. If you'd like to attend the seminar that Ritesh will be speaking at tomorrow, you can find the details for it here on eventbrite:

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the government's plan to replace the National Certificate of Educational Achievement, The FBI office opening in Wellington and The party's call to the government to reverse changes to emergency housing access. He spoke with Ritesh Shah, a Senior Lecturer Critical Studies in Education, about why Israel is facing international condemnation for how it's handled aid distribution in Gaza. And he spoke to Dr Mohsen Mohammadzadeh, A senior lecturer in the school of architecture and planning in the faculty of engineering and design at the University of Auckland about the rollout of AI enabled surveillance technology in Auckland. Max spoke to Stuart McNaughton, a professor from the University of Auckland, to talk about the government's decision to scrap NCEA by 2030.

On Monday this week it was announced by the government that they are planning to drop NCEA from the national curriculum by 2030, as a part of a new education overhaul. Although the full details of the new program haven't been released, the government is planning to replace the NCEA qualification, which has been in place for more than 20 years, with a new national system weighted heavily towards exams. Associate Education Minister David Seymour described the change as more “challenging” for students, which from his perspective can “only be a positive thing”. Following on from our previous conversation with the Green Party's Ricardo Menendez-March, Producer Max spoke to Stuart McNaughton, a professor in the faculty of arts and education at the University of Auckland, to talk about the new education reforms.

They may be “green homes,” but there's plenty of grey areas. Academics such as the University of Auckland's Dr. Michael Rehm believe that the humidity standards on these eco-friendly houses need to be reassessed. Producer Faith spoke to Michael about these standards, and whether they're effective.

The government's recognition of a Palestinian state has been praised as a step forward, but many believe they need to take more practical steps to show support for Gaza. Producer Faith spoke to the University of Auckland's Professor Treasa Dunworth about the significance of the move, and what else needs to be done.

On Thursday last week, the coalition government passed legislation to reverse the ban on oil and gas exploration — a ban which had been initiated by the previous government in 2018. Minister Shane Jones who drove the reversal, highlighted the impact of the ban on economic growth and energy supply in New Zealand. Opposition parties have voiced concerns about the impact of this decision for New Zealand's climate commitments. As well, yesterday Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford announced an overhaul of the NCEA system, to be replaced with qualifications that they say will be better to understand, and more aligned with international standards. Finally, as the United States places 15% tariffs on NZ exports, the Labour party have said the government needs to do more to strengthen our trade relationships to avoid a rise in the cost of living for kiwis. Host Sara spoke with National MP Carl Bates about all these topics. Sara started by asking him to explain the government's decision to reverse the ban on oil and gas exploration in New Zealand.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Daniel Thomas on history, pre-history, and the search for Atlantis For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Sara spoke to MP Carl Bates about the reversal of the oil and gas exploration ban, yesterday's announcement of an NCEA overhaul and US tariffs. Sara also spoke with Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman, about the oil and gas ban reversal in New Zealand, and the plans in the US to repeal the finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health. Producer Faith spoke to Professor Treasa Dunworth from the University of Auckland about the government's statement on Gaza. Faith also spoke to the university's Dr. Michael Rehm about the humidity standards in green homes, and what needs to change about the rating system.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Daniel Thomas on history, pre-history, and the search for Atlantis. Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!

The International Court of Justice has delivered a landmark, albeit nonbinding ruling, that countries have a legal obligation to act on climate change. In this context, climate news in this past week has raised worry for climate advocates. The New Zealand government has passed legislation to reverse the 2018 ban on new oil and gas exploration projects, which is predicted to increase the country's emissions by 14.2 million tonnes according to official analysis.  As well, the United States are seeking to negate the finding that greenhouse gas emissions pose any danger to human health, with the aim to reduce the power of the Environmental Protection Agency to restrict activities that produce these emissions. Wire Host Sara spoke to Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman about these two cases and their potential consequences for global climate action.

Recently, a study was published by Australia's Museums Victoria Research Institute, examining deep sea ecosystems around Aotearoa's waters. The study mapped the global distribution of brittle stars, which are closely related to starfish, the links between deep-sea ecosystems from Iceland to Tasmania and the impacts of climate change and deep sea mining on said ecosystems. 95bFM Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke with Sadie Mills, invertebrate collection manager at Earth Sciences New Zealand, to discuss what this research means for understanding biodiversity beneath the waves especially within the context of climate change and deep-sea mining

The Israeli founded and based company SodaStream is the most popular sparkling water maker in New Zealand, supplying sparkling water machines to over 400,000 households in Aotearoa, with around 30% of families using one to make beverages at home. The company has also had involvement in the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, previously having a factory in the Ma'ale Adumim settlement in the internationally recognised Palestinian west bank. For this week's Get Action! Oto spoke with Brandon Johnstone, a BDS coordinator at Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa about a petition calling on retailers and stockists to swap out SodaStream for more ethical alternatives. If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here: