On 9 May the New Zealand Nurses organisation held a national day of action 2024, with rallies across the country calling for increased public health funding.
While the government has introduced measures to increase the number of nurses in Aotearoa, staffing shortages are still frequent in wards across the country.
Additionally, there are worries that the recently scrapped Te Aka Whai Ora could impact the already struggling sector, taking focus away from those who need health support most and potentially increasing the workload for frontline health workers.
Wire Host Castor spoke to the president of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Anne Daniels, about nursing shortages and low health funding in Aotearoa from a frontline perspective.
For Dear Science this week, Professor Allan Blackman chatted to us about Beethoven’s deafness, the first ever vaccination, and researchers mapping a small part of the human brain.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about nursing shortages in light of rallies last week and how the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora could affect the health sector.
He also spoke to New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels about these health issues from a frontline worker perspective.
Producer Sofia spoke to Public Service Association Assistant Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons about the 325 job cuts to the Accident Compensation Corporation.
She also spoke to Professor of Disability Studies and Inclusive Education Missy Morton at the University of Auckland about a new report from the Education Hub about how schools and early childhood centres are failing neurodivergent children.
On May 13th, the Education Hub - a non-profit organisation that connects teachers with education research - released a report on neurodivergent children in schools and early childhood centres.
Gathering testimonies from 2,400 people, the report found that 15-20 percent of the population is neurodivergent, meaning they have conditions including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and anxiety.
Although the school system is supposedly inclusive, the Education Hub says schools and early childhood centres are failing neurodivergent children.
In response, it has called for more funding and a law change regarding specialist provisions or supports for children with special educational needs.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Professor of Disability Studies and Inclusive Education Missy Morton at the University of Auckland about the report, and what support for teachers, neurodivergent children, and the families of these children should look like.
As a part of the coalition government’s cost saving measures, there are 325 proposed job cuts at the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
ACC says client-facing teams will not be affected, although, roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety are on the chopping block.
The job cuts equate to a proposed 9 percent reduction of ACC’s total workforce.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Public Service Association Assistant Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons about the cuts to roles dealing with sexual violence prevention and the overall impacts these cuts to ACC will have on New Zealanders.
Hamish guesses an Amamelia track on Second Guessing. James of Carb on Carb chats about their upcoming album coming out on Friday and their show to celebrate on the same evening. Tom Sainsbury and Johanna Cosgrove are on Stage Direction talking about their respective Comedy Festival shows. Kelsey Miller, doctoral candidate from the school of biology is on Ready Steady Learn explaining her work on kina barrens. Whakarongo mai nei!
Playlist
Camera Obscura - We're Going To Make It In A Man's World
The Lemon Twigs - Church Bells
Emma Russack - Everything Is Big
Caroline Polachek - Starburned and Unkissed
Crystal Egg - What Money?
Fontaines D.C. - Starburster
christoph el' truento - Pīwari (Gumboot Joe Version)
The Native Cats - Kay Carroll
Earth Tongue - Grave Pressure
Lionlimb - Dream of You feat. Angel Olsen
Eyedress - Okanagan Lake feat. Daryl Johns & Horse Morrison
Ty Segall - Night of the Vampire [Roky Erickson Cover]
Richard Tripps - Blue Eyed Open Sky
How Get - Te Tai Pari
Cara Beth Satalino - Volvo Station Wagon
The Cat's Miaow - The Phoebe I Know (original cassette version)
Carb on Carb - 2009
Carb on Carb - I Know the End 2
Family Band - Shib's Disco
Daisy Rickman - Sunflowers Of Your Mind
Washed Out - New Theory
Repairs - LYLAS
Archi Banal - Mind Is Dumb
P.H.F. - A GIRL WITH SHIT ON HER MIND
Baby Zionov - Clubbing in the Time of Cholera [deepState PureRave Remix]
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