95bFM: The Wire

A recently released study from researchers at the Otago, Canterbury, and Massey universities has found an association between nitrate concentrations in drinking water, and pre-term births. The study is the first of its scale to investigate the health impacts of nitrate on health, involving the birth records of over 735,000 babies born between 2008 and 2021.  It comes after the Ministry of Health launched a review into the health effects of nitrate in drinking water earlier this year, with groups such as Greenpeace long-arguing for a reduction in the maximum acceptable value of nitrate in drinking water for Aotearoa New Zealand. So, to learn more about what the study found, Producer Theo spoke to its lead author, the University of Canterbury's Associate Professor Tim Chambers.

The government's move-on orders policy has been under some scrutiny, with primary criticisms claiming that it does not adequately address the issue or that it unreasonably punishes the most disadvantaged groups in society.  To discuss the specific impacts that the policy would have on Aotearoa's young people, the impacts of homelessness more broadly, and how we can better manage the issue, News Director Castor spoke to Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad.

This week on the Monday Wire...  For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about newly announced ACT candidate Paul Henry, default union membership, and scrutiny over the ban on puberty blockers. They also spoke to Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad about problems with the proposed move-on orders bill and particularly how it can impact young people in Aotearoa.  Wednesday Wire producer Theo spoke to University of Canterbury Associate Professor Tim Chambers about the impacts of nitrate levels on pre-term births.  And Monday Wire producer spoke with Dr Terryann Clark, the Cure Kids Professorial Chair in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the University of Auckland, about banning social media for under 16-year-olds in Aotearoa.

Last week, the ACT Party announced that former broadcaster Paul Henry will be running as a candidate in this year's election. Henry has been subject to some controversy in the past, with derogatory comments made towards multiple public figures during his time as a breakfast show host.  Also last week, the Green Party announced a policy of default union membership, meaning that a person will be automatically signed up for the appropriate union when they start a new job. The ACT Party says this policy impedes on personal freedoms, though the Greens have reiterated that people can still leave unions.  Lastly, the government's ban on puberty blockers has been under scrutiny following a court case from the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa. The association has put forward multiple critiques, primarily that the ban appears to be based in ideology rather than medical evidence.  For this week's catch-up with the ACT Party's Simon Court, News Director Castor asked about each of these issues, beginning with Paul Henry's appointment as a candidate.

A New Zealand parliamentary inquiry has backed stronger regulation of social media, including a possible ban for users under 16. Supporters argue a ban could protect young people from addictive platforms, harmful content and worsening mental health. But University of Auckland researchers say the evidence does not support blaming social media as the main cause of rising youth distress. To discuss this, Producer Pranuja spoke with Dr Terryann Clark, the Cure Kids Professorial Chair in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the University of Auckland.

Workers at the Department of Internal Affairs went on strike on Monday, over a pay offer from the government which does not match the increased cost of living.  To discuss the importance of the Department of Internal Affairs, why workers are striking, and how the government is responding, Tuesday Wire host Alex spoke to National Secretary of the Public Service Association, Duane Leo.

A new Infometrics report, commissioned by the Waitākere Indian Association, estimates that Kiwi-Indian businesses, households, international students and visitors contributed $37.3 billion to GDP in the year to March 2025. The report highlights the economic power of Kiwi-Indians and argues that New Zealand could be making better use of the community's skills, calling for improved recognition of overseas qualifications and greater support for migrant-owned businesses. The report launched in Auckland just before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit, the first by an Indian prime minister in 40 years. Producer Pranuja attended the launch and spoke to community leaders, economists and politicians about what the findings mean and whether closer ties with India will translate into meaningful benefits for Kiwi Indians. Producer Pranuja spoke to President of the Waitākere Indian Association Sunil Kaushal, Chief Executive and Principal Economist at Infometrics Brad Olsen, Secretary of the Waitākere Indian Association Sanjay Dutt Sharma, Labour's immigration spokesperson and Te Atatū MP Phil Twyford, and Minister for Auckland, Revenue, Climate Change and Local Government Simon Watts. To find out more on the report, go to kiwiindians.nz.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) have released two new research papers outlining the impact of high housing costs.  The reports show that housing costs are leaving families without enough income to cover essentials, particularly as the supply of affordable rental homes decreases across the motu.  Wire Host Caeden spoke to research author Greg Waite about the findings.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Child Poverty Action Group Housing Researcher Greg Waite about two new reports from the organisation on the cost of housing.  Tuesday Wire Host Alex spoke to National Secretary of the Public Service Association, Duane Leo, about Department of Internal Affairs workers striking on Monday.  For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke with Shanan Halbert about the 6% Tertiary fee increase and Indian Prime Ministers Narendra Modi's visit last friday. And Waitakere Indian Association released The Economic Contribution of Kiwi Indians in New Zealand commissioned by Informetrics. Pranuja attended the launch and interviewed community leaders about the impact of these figures for the Kiwi Indian Diaspora.

  Ahead of the CRL's much anticipated opening later this year, many people have been reflecting on how expensive it has become to produce infrastructure in New Zealand and the waste that goes into projects that are thrown out after a change in government. Consensus seems to be building around the need for a consistent pipeline that staggers works to maintain a consistent flow for industry and build agreement across parliament. This week has seen the government introduce their Major Transport Projects Pipeline, or MTPP which in many ways motions towards this debate while also taking a step back from many roads whose costs have ballooned. But how do opposition parties feel about this this Policy? Has agreement been found? And this week, the visit of controversial Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked opposition from two radically differing sides, from those concerned with India's human rights record to those hostile to migration from India. So for this week's catch-up with the Green Party's Ricardo Menendez March, we discuss the Green Party's issues with the new MTPP and the political climate that has surrounded Modi's visit.  

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to ACT MP Simon Court about selling conservation land, youth unemployment, and arts and culture funding for Auckland's CBD.  Producer Thomas spoke to University of Auckland Professor of conservation biology James Russell, about the Conservation Amendment Bill. He also talked to University of Auckland Professor Dr Sally Mackay about making food health star ratings mandatory. And Producer Jude spoke to Auckland University senior research fellow, Dr Sarah-Jane Guild about the development of wireless brain sensors.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand is currently consulting on a proposal to make health star ratings mandatory, with the present voluntary system coming under fire. Currently, only 36% of eligible packaged foods in New Zealand display a health star rating, well short of the 70% goal set by food ministers in November 2025.  Additionally, a recent briefing by the Public Health Communication Centre had nutrition experts arguing that labels can help improve dietary choices, encourage product reformulation and strengthen transparency. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling is also recommended by the World Health Organisation. To discuss making food health star ratings mandatory, producer Thomas spoke to University of Auckland Professor Dr Sally Mackay.  

One hundred Kiwi kids are diagnosed with a life-threatening condition called Hydrocephalus yearly. Hydrocephalus is a condition where the brain gets an abnormal amount of fluid buildup, which causes harmful pressure on brain tissues.   The current standard treatment for it is a shunt implantation, which is a tiny silicon tube that gets inserted into the brain to drain any excess fluid into other parts of the body harmlessly. However, these shunts have the tendency to get blocked about fifty percent of the time. And if they don't get replaced in time the raised pressure in the brain could cause huge damage and even death. The major problem is that symptoms of a failed shunt are very common and are hard to interpret.  To fix this, researchers have been developing an implantable wireless brain sensor, which will be able to read brain pressure wirelessly and safely at home.  To learn more about this new technology and how it will work in the future. Producer Jude spoke to University of Auckland Senior Research Fellow Dr Sarah-Jane Guild.

After passing its first reading in May submissions are currently open for the conservation amendment bill, which would see up to 60 percent of current conservation land become open for sale as long as it's not considered important for threatened species.  Additionally, the bill adds a new responsibility to the Department of Conservation to recognise and enable economic opportunities as much as possible from the land and resources it manages. The bill has faced significant public pushback, with a recent poll finding that 64% of New Zealanders oppose it, including the majority of the current government coalition's regular voters. With submissions closing on the 2nd of July, producer Thomas spoke to University of Auckland Professor of conservation biology James Russell about the bill and its contentious proposals.

The Government is considering expanding prescribing powers for emergency paramedics, allowing them to prescribe certain medicines, including antibiotics, for conditions such as respiratory and ear infections.  Supporters say the move could improve access to healthcare, particularly in underserved communities, but some experts are warning that stronger safeguards are needed to prevent unnecessary antibiotic use and growing antimicrobial resistance.  Producer Pranuja spoke with Professor Bruce Arroll from the University of Auckland about the safeguards needed with this policy to protect public health.

Last week, the Independent Childrens Monitor Aroturuki Tamariki released its second annual report on outcomes for Māori in the care and protection system. The report looks at the existing context of Māori children and young people's struggles in state care systems, and assesses current outcomes. It examines what is currently being done to support Māori within the system, and what more could be done to remediate the current inequities.  To discuss the report, and what more New Zealand's protection and care systems could be doing to support our tamariki Māori, News Director Castor spoke to the Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad.  

This week on the Thursday Wire... For City Counselling, News Director Castor spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about Labour's $20 fare cap policy, proposed scenarios for changes to PC 120, and Council's plans for Matariki.  They also spoke to Director of Wellbeing, System Leadership, Data, and Insights at Te Hiringa Mahara, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Dr Ella Cullen, about the state of Mental Health services in Aotearoa. And they spoke to the Children's Commissioner, Claire Achmad, about a recent Aroturuki Tamariki report on Māori outcomes in the care and protection system.  For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke with Shanan Halbert about the Government's Jobseeker target, and the fallout from the Immigration New Zealand controversy.   She also spoke with Professor Bruce Arroll from the University of Auckland about the proposed prescribing powers for paramedics and the safeguards needed to protect public health.

Te Hiringa Mahara, the mental health and wellbeing commission, released a system report on Tuesday this week. The report looks into the state of mental health services in Aotearoa - whether they adequately provide for everyone, who falls through the cracks, and what kind of improvements could be made.  To discuss the findings from the report, News Director Castor spoke to Director of Wellbeing, System Leadership, Data, and Insights at Te Hiringa Mahara, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Dr Ella Cullen, about the state of Mental Health services in Aotearoa.

This week on the Wednesday Wire... For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the call for a budgetary office, the growing wealth disparity, and gig workers rights.  Producer Theo spoke to the Executive Director of Transparency International New Zealand, Julie Haggie, on the regulation of political donations in Aotearoa New Zealand. Then, for this week's Get Action, Theo spoke to the Sudan Advocacy Network Aotearoa's Fatima Sanussi, on their petition to urgently establish a Sudan Special Humanitarian Visa Pathway. Finally, Producer Toby spoke to Dr. Chris Wilson and Michal Dziwulski about their new book ‘He Told Us,' examining the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack.

While the election is still over four months away, parties are already deploying what has become an election period staple, the budget hole. The idea that a party vying for government may have bungled the numbers is quite the attack, but without every kiwi trying to break down the numbers themselves, we often have to be taking at least someone at their word. The Green party is among a number of voices proposing a fix to this - a parliamentary budget office that would vet the costs of party policies and be able to answer that age old question, how big is their hole. And ahead of the release of their own tax policy the Greens have highlighted that The richest 150 New Zealand individuals and family dynasties now own as much as half of the country between them. These numbers, from the National Business Review, show that this small group of kiwis grew their collective wealth from  $102b to $129b last year, that's a 26% increase in just one year. As the current government gives tax breaks to landlords, and cuts to social services, the Green party says they should be looking at this growth instead, but how do they propose we claw that wealth back? For our weekly catch-up with the Green Party, Host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the call for an independent parliamentary budgetary office, the growing wealth disparity, and gig workers rights.  

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, host Thomas spoke to ACT MP Simon Court about the party's proposed Nationally Determined contribution towards the Paris Agreement, funding for the Liquified Natural gas import terminal and public transport policy. He also talked to Victoria University Professor of Climate Science & Physical Geography James Renwick about a study which found concerns with costal flooding events in Wellington. And he spoke to Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton about Pharmac changing eligibility criteria for diabetes medication and Health NZ stopping cardiology groups from objecting. Caeden also spoke to Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand Chief Executive Letitia Harding about calls from the World Health Organisation to ban flavoured tobacco products.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has renewed calls to ban flavoured nicotine products, particularly sweet, fruity, and confectionery-style flavours, which it says drive addiction amongst young people.  WHO has warned that tobacco and nicotine companies are deliberately creating products that are “more appealing, easier to use and harder to quit” for adolescents and young people. Thursday Wire Host Caeden caught up with Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand Chief Executive Letitia Harding about the calls for restrictions and how this applies in a New Zealand context.

A new study has been released that shows the impact of human-induced climate change on global sea levels, focusing on the change from 1900 to 2005.  It found that, worldwide, one in a hundred-year flooding event had a median increase to the 1 in 8-year event average over this time. Even more concerningly, the study found that the increase was not geographically balanced, and Wellington coastal floods have increased to roughly a twice-per-year occurrence. Relevantly, last week Wellington faced large swells up to 9 metres, resulting in a state of emergency and mandatory evacuation orders at numerous bays in the area. To discuss the results of the study and how best to respond to the findings, host Thomas talked to Victoria University Professor of Climate Science & Physical Geography, James Renwick.

Pharmac has recently proposed changing who can receive funded treatment for key diabetes medication, moving it in line with a cabinet directive from 2024 saying public services should be prioritised on the basis of need, not race. There has been an outcry from health professionals, such as the cardiac network, saying data shows that Maori and Pacific people are more at risk of diabetes, regardless of their socio-economic status, and the best way to maximise health benefit for dollars spent is by targeting these groups. Further criticism has been directed at Health NZ, which has banned the cardio network from objecting to the removal of eligibility criteria, saying it would breach the 2024 cabinet directive. Cardiologists will be forced to make submissions as individuals, a move the network has said is silencing scientific evidence in the name of politics  To discuss the eligibility changes and Health NZ silencing cardiologists, host Thomas spoke to Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton.

The Green Party has announced a new policy to fine individuals and companies for privacy breaches. This includes fines of up to $500,000 for breaches by individuals and $10 million for corporates.  Wire Host Caeden spoke to Professor Gehan Gunasekara, a privacy law expert at the University of Auckland Business School, about this proposal. 

For Politics with Māni Dunlop from Te Ao Māori News, Wire Host Caeden asked about a new investment from the Government in Māori businesses and funding for Māori organisations in Budget 2026.  And they spoke to Professor Gehan Gunasekara, a privacy law expert at the University of Auckland Business School, about a new Green Party policy that would fine individuals and businesses for privacy breaches.  For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, News Director Castor spoke with Shanan Halbert about the party's newly announced $20 fare cap and its broader policy plan for this year's election.  And Castor spoke to Professor Michael Baker from the University of Otago about influenza management and improving New Zealand's public health response.

Labour has announced its first major policy in over six months: a proposal to cap public transport costs at $20 a week in major centres and $10 elsewhere. The party says the policy would help with the cost of living and make public transport more accessible. The announcement comes after the coalition government removed several public transport subsidies introduced under Labour, including half-price fares for young people and free fares for children. Alongside the fare cap, Labour has already announced a targeted capital gains tax to fund three free GP visits a year and a proposed Future Fund aimed at investing in infrastructure and innovative Kiwi businesses. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, News Director Castor spoke with Shanan Halbert about these policies.

The Government has announced it is investing $5 million into Māori-owned businesses as part of its initiatives to support economic growth and create jobs.  It follows a mixed bag of funding and cuts to Māori organisations in Budget 2026.  For Politics with Māni Dunlop from Te Ao Māori News, Wire Host Caeden has Māni on the line to discuss these recent announcements. 

Per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (or, PFAS) have been called ‘forever chemicals'. That's because these synthetic chemicals are incredibly durable, lasting thousands of years. This durability has made this large group of chemicals useful in a variety of industries, from cosmetics to electronic and cookware. However, PFAS have been linked to a myriad of health risks including cancers, liver damage, and suppressed immunity, bad news, given their ubiquity within the environment and humans. Recently, the Australian Government moved to sue the manufacturing giant 3M for $2.4b NZD, for their use of forever chemicals in firefighting foam, which contaminated numerous defence force bases across the country. While no such legal action is yet on the cards for New Zealand, increased attention is being given to the presence of PFAS in our environment. In 2022 PFAS were for the first time included in the suite of compounds analysed in a quadrennial groundwater survey. However, there is still a lack of information on how present PFAS are in Aotearoa New Zealand, so later this year the Environmental Protection Authority will be engaging with councils and other agencies to carry out further groundwater testing. To learn more, producer Theo spoke with the Environmental Protection Authority's acting manager of hazardous substances applications, Dr Shaun Presow.

Last week, the United Nations released a report on the environmental cost of artificial intelligence, giving estimates for the amount of carbon, water, and land that will likely be dedicated to powering AI in the near future. For example, the report predicts that by 2030, Artificial Intelligence could consume 3% of the world's electricity and require more water than the total amount drunk by the entire population of Earth annually.  However, experts in AI also predict that the technology will continue to become more efficient as time goes on, requiring less electricity, water and land to operate. To explain how all of this can be true at the same time, some people in the AI world have invoked the so-called “Jevons Paradox”—referring to an insight from the Victorian-period economist William Stanely Jevons, who noticed that the increased efficiency of steam engines went hand-in-hand with increased coal consumption. This morning, producer Toby spoke to Dr. Amanda Turnbull-McRae, senior lecturer in Law at the University of Waikato, about this apparent economic paradox as it relates to the future of AI.

This week on the Wednesday Wire..... For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the ongoing scandal over the government's missing emails with lobbyists; and energy policy. Producer Toby spoke to senior lecturer in Law at the University of Waikato Dr. Amanda Turnbull-Rae about the future of Ai energy use Producer Theo spoke to the Environmental Protection Authority acting manager of hazardous substances applications, Dr Shaun Presow, on upcoming groundwater testing of PFAS. He then spoke to the University of Auckland's Dr Gerhard Sundborn, a member of the New Zealand Beverages Guidance Panel, on the policy brief they released this morning calling for a ban on sugary drinks in schools.

The revelation of hidden correspondence shared between major NZ polluters and a private email account of someone working in the Prime Minister's Office has sparked a spiralling scandal.  Why were the emails not revealed when any such correspondence had been specifically requested if it existed?  Were key law changes made specifically to end a high-profile court case against these polluters?  How could the government's failure to provide such emails not be in breach of fundamental transparency rules? And what else might be hidden?  The Greens are now asking the Ombudsman to expand his investigation into the emails to use the full breadth of the powers availableto him to determine what has gone down. And this week the government walked back their plan to fund an import terminal for Liquid Natural Gas with a levy, or tax, on Kiwis' energy bills. While the policy is still going forward, how it will be funded remains an open question. And following the energy shock caused by the US war with Iran, the Greens highlighted their support for Rewiring Aotearoa's Ratepayers' Assistance Scheme to provide cheap loans for installing home solar systems, which they say would make widespread solar uptake accessible to more kiwi's, lowering energy bills and increasing energy security. So for our weekly catch-up with the Green Party, Host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the ongoing scandal over the government's missing emails and energy policy.  

Sugary drinks are a favourite for many children across the country. However, this consumption of high-sugar drinks is proving harmful, with dental issues, heightened risk of diabetes, and other health issues tied to these drinks. Despite this, sugary drinks are stil readily available to children across Aotearoa New Zealand, even within their schools. This morning, the New Zealand Beverages Guidance Panel, published a policy brief calling for the ban of sugary drinks from school grounds - prohibiting them from being purchased or brought by students into schools To learn more, I spoke to the University of Auckland's Dr Gerhard Sundborn, a member of the New Zealand Beverages Guidance Panel, on their policy brief.

Two weeks ago, the 2026 Budget revealed the government's spending and funding plan. Notably absent, however, is support for care workers, except for a minor boost to mileage rates while the fuel crisis is ongoing. The E Tū union, however, has said that these changes do little to match the inflated costs, and still leaves support and care workers woefully unsupported in the midst of an already struggling health system. Host Alex spoke with the National Secretary of E Tū, Rachel Mackintosh, about the state of care work in NZ, and what this budget means for the priority given to care work by the government.  

The Carrington Hospital, also known as Building One, was built in 1867 and stands as a monument to Victorian era healthcare in New Zealand. Until 2018, this category 1 heritage building was part of Unitec's Mt Albert Campus, but was sold to the government as part of the Carrington Residential Development - Te Kukūnga Waka. The goal was to build 4,000 new homes in collaboration with Ockham Residential and various iwi. However, concerns have been raised by locals about the degrading state of Building One as well as whether local infrastructure will be able to cope with intensification. I spoke to a range of individuals who want to see the building preserved, and attended some of their protests. This Carrington Building One movement is also active on Facebook and Instagram.  Among the people I spoke to were Chris Casey, Chair of the Cachet Foundation, Helen White, MP for Mt Albert, Gareth Hughes, operator of the Waterview Coffee Project, Allan Matson, President of the Civic Trust as well as a high school student from Mt Albert. I also reached out to the owner's Ockham Residential and Marutūāhu, as well as Auckland Council and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, for comment. 

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chats with us about taking too many vitamins, bees, and AI failing psychological tests. For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Alex spoke with MP Ryan Hamilton about the US threat of further tariffs on New Zealand, our relationship with the US, and changes to local government committees to limit the impact of unelected members. Producer Liam spoke to a range of people, including Chris Casey of the Cachet foundation, about the current deteriorating state of the former Carrington Hospital in Mt Albert, also known as Building One, and efforts to see it restored and repurposed.  And Alex also spoke with Rachel Mackintosh, National Secretary of E Tū, about where the 2026 Budget leaves struggling care and support workers in Aotearoa.

Defence Minister Chris Penk recently tabled New Zealand's nuclear free stance for debate, when he suggested it could be a topic New Zealand should look into. In an interview with Newstalk ZB's Heather du Plessis-Allan, however, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon denied that the country's stance would change any time soon. While du Plessis-Allan asked about the military applications of nuclear technology, she also mentioned the potential benefits of nuclear energy. It's an important question, especially as New Zealanders see rising energy prices and seek to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.  To discuss the benefits of nuclear energy and how it compares to our current energy infrastructure in New Zealand, News Director Castor spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland and co-director at the Geothermal Institute, Sadio Zarrouk.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News director Castor spoke to MP Laura McClure, filling in for Simon Court. They asked about the Budget 2026 and funding for health, defence, and cuts to fees free.  They also spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland and co-director at the geothermal institute Sadio Zarrouk, about nuclear energy and if it has a place in New Zealand's energy ecosystem.  Producer Thomas spoke to University of Auckland Social Sciences Professor Barry Milne about a new study which has linked ‘deaths of despair' with living in deprived areas.  He also talked to Greenpeace freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe about the organisation calling for New Zealand to follow Denmark and lower the drinking water nitrate limit.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Aotearoa New Zealand later this year. The expected visit follows the signing of the trade agreement between India and New Zealand last month. However, Prime Minister Modi is a controversial figure in Indian politics, largely for his religiously divisive policy and anti-Muslim speeches. Wire Host Caeden spoke to Sapna Samant, GP, storyteller, and activist, who is critical of Indian Prime Minister Modi and his supporters in the diaspora, about his expected visit.

A survey of Automobile Association members' views on time-of-use charging has been presented to the Auckland Council's Transport and Infrastructure Delivery Committee.  The survey found that members were open to congestion charging if it worked, even if they thought it was unfair. Labour leader Chris Hipkins gave a ‘State of Auckland' speech last week, focusing on the need for cross-party collaboration on infrastructure projects. Wire Host Caeden spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson about both of these topics.

The recent OECD report conducting an autopsy on the economy here in Aotearoa came back with huge concerns and transformative suggestions going forward. And while some, such as the suggestion to raise the age of superannuation, have been taken on board by the leading National Party, others, like a renewable energy transition, have been poo-pooed. Current energy policy discussions in New Zealand have focused on liquid natural gas, also known as LNG, which needs to be stored in special conditions. The government is moving forward with plans to spend over a billion dollars on a terminal specially designed to import LNG into the country and fund it with a tax on electricity. But buying natural gas is no simple endeavour. Along with petrol, LNG prices are spiking at the moment, and standard practice is to set up to buy a regular contracted amount, which, due to limited storage conditions, may have to be used or risk costing us more. To understand the ins and outs of the OECD report on energy policy, we got Emeritus Professor of Economics and former director of the Energy Centre, Basil Sharp, to sit down with Host Manny in the studio to share his concerns with LNG and his ideas to on how to reform the electricity market.

Last week, figures published by RNZ showed that Afterpay made close to $20m in late fees in Aotearoa New Zealand, in the year to December 2025. This revenue is an increase on their 2024 earnings, and comes after legislation was introduced to bring Buy Now Pay Later lending services—such as Afterpay—under similar regulation to other lenders. Prior to September of 2024, buy now pay later lenders were exempted from the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act that governs other lenders. This is because, unlike other lenders such as credit card companies, buy now pay later schemes do not charge interest or any other fees—so long as the debts are repaid on time—meaning they did not meet the definition of a ‘consumer credit contract'. After September of 2024, however, they came under the act, with some exemptions, such as that they don't have to carry out the same checks as other lenders to see if a borrower can actually afford a loan. A later amendment exempted them from the prohibition on charging unreasonable fees and also exempted them from being required to ensure default fees do no more than reasonably compensate the provider for their costs. Earlier this year, Consumer New Zealand and FinCap (with support from Victoria University and funding from the Borrin Foundation) published the second stage of their report examining Buy Now Pay Later schemes in Aotearoa New Zealand, before and after these regulatory changes. So, to discuss the recently reported Afterpay late fee revenues within the wider context of what that report found, producer Theo spoke to the senior policy advisor at FinCap, Jake Lilley.