The Wire with Castor

Last month, the government announced Te Aka Whai Ora, or the Māori Health Authority, would be dis-established, just 18 months after it launched.

News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Associate Professor in Anthropology at the University of Auckland and Director of the James Henare Māori Research Centre, Marama Muru-Lanning (Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Whātua), and Senior Research Fellow at the James Henare Māori Research Centre, Dr Hilary Lapsley, about the government dis-establishing Te Aka Whai Ora and its impact on kaumatua.

Following the government announcing its fast track consents bill, which gives ministers ultimate authority on whether to approve significant projects, environmental groups have raised concerns this will undermine exisiting  environmental protections. 

First, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to the Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki Chairperson and former Green MP, Catherine Delahunty, about how the bill could affect protected areas in the Coromandel.

The environmental group, Climate Justice Taranaki, have also protested the bill over concerns it could open up new seabed mining projects in Taranaki. Jessica Hopkins asked spokesperson, Urs Signer, for their thoughts on the bill.

Earlier this week, world-leading general medical journal ‘The Lancet’ published a series of papers warning about the ‘overmedicalisation’ of menopause and have emphasised the importance of a fresh and conscious approach in how we support wāhine as they age. The research emphasises the importance of  “going beyond medical treatments, to empower women using high-quality information on symptoms and treatments, empathic clinical care and workplace adjustments as required.”

Producer Jasmine speaks with the general manager of Women’s Health Action, Isis McKay, to further discuss what changing the conversation around menopause in Aotearoa looks like.

On the 4th of March 2024, the National Government presented their updated Land Transport plan.

To pay for new roading infrastructure, the Government announced a $50 price increase on registration costs, as well as a 12-cent increase in excise fuel tax beginning in 2027.

Nicholas asked Green Party Co-Leader James Shaw about his party’s position on the plan and their response to the Government’s reasoning behind building new roads.

Nicholas also spoke about the implications of a reversal of a ban on oil and gas exploration. A reversal that the Green Party has been firmly in opposition to.