Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news & current affairs show, The Wire. Your hosts Jemima Huston, Mary-Margaret Slack, Lillian Hanly, Lachlan Balfour and Laura Kvigstad focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere, in independent-thinking bFM style. Weekdays 12-1pm on 95bFM.
First up, Sue Chetwin from consumer New Zealand joins me to discuss how several detox teas have been pulled from shelves after it was found they contain an ingredient that with long term use can cause liver damage.
After that, Rachel Simpson reports on how the most wealthy woman in Angola is almost entirely state-funded.
Next, Benjamin J Goldson conducts his weekly neutral corner on the media treatment of the
And Finally, Lillian Hanly speaks with Academic in International Law and former Rapporteur with the United Nations, John Knox on climate change refugees in the second part of a long-form interview.
Consumer New Zealand has recently conducted an investigation into diet teas which found many included the ingredient, Senna. An ingredient that has a laxative effect and is meant to be an ingredient that is prescribed by a medical professional rather than widely available. This is because long term use of the ingredient can result in liver damage. Director of Consumer New Zealand, Sue Chetwin joined Laura Kvigstad to discuss how these products have been allowed to be available on the market for decades.
Louis talks to Hugh Pavletich, the co-author of the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, about the increasing unaffordability of the housing market.
This week it was announced that Ioane Teitiota lost his case in the UN’s Human Rights Committee. Teitiota claimed refugee status saying climate change had affected his right to life, asking not to be deported to Kiribati. New Zealand had given this ruling originally, so this decision has upheld the original ruling. In looking into the news, Lillian saw a Twitter thread by John Knox, a Professor of International Law and the former UN Special Raportuer on Human Rights and the Environment. This role was established in 2012, and has a particular focus on people who are affected by the climate emergency. Knox had found some of the reporting on the issue misleading, particularly regarding the use of the term 'climate refugee', saying "the Human Rights Committee is a body of independent experts mandated to oversee compliance with the Int’l Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) ... one of its tasks is to consider complaints from individuals alleging violations of the Covenant. The definition it uses for refugees is not one that includes people fleeing climate effects". However, this case has been reported as hugely significant for what it might mean in the future as it recognises that the conditions from the climate could very well change and directly impact a persons right to life. Knox states that "under the ICCPR even those who aren’t “refugees” have the right not to be returned to a country if doing so would cause a risk of irreparable harm to their rights to life (art. 6) or to be free from torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment (art. 7)". Lillian got in touch with him to understand more about why this is indeed a landmark case and what it could mean in the future. They started by discussing the role of a UN Special Raportuer.
NOTE: 95bFM is trying to get in touch with Ioane Teitiota.
Sam Denne spoke with Jono Drew, a researcher from Otago University about the carbon emissions from different types of food and how we can inform consumers of this information
Lillian spoke with John Knox who was the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights and the Environment about the recent UN Human Rights Committee decision to deport a Kiribati national back to their country despite the impact of climate change on their human rights.
Sam spoke with Jono Drew, a researcher from Otago University about the carbon emissions from different types of food and how we can inform consumers of this information.
We have Neighbourhood Watch as usual, Zoe tells us about financial grants from MPs to sports clubs they have a relationship with
And finally Sam speaks with Ann Brower from University of Canterbury about the gender pay gap in Academia
Wellington City Council has announced a major project with a private developer to provide affordable housing in the city for nurses and teachers. It's understood this is the first of its kind here in New Zealand, but the rental cap type model is certainly not new in the rest of the world, but the Council and partner developer The Wellington Company have announced more projects in the future that will continue the concept. Wellington councillor Fleur Fitzsimons is in charge of the portfolio and Lillian Hanly speaks to her to find out more about the Council's hopes for 'rent stabilisation' in Wellington.
Zoe Kounadis from Radio Adelaide updates us on the fires and tells us about some dodgy money grants from MPs to sports clubs as well as a government review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Following the US drone strike that killed an Iranian general in Iraq and Iran shooting down a Ukrainian passenger airliner, international concerns over security and legality have arisen, while in Iran, protests against the government’s response to the attack on the airliner have intensified. What are the international and local responses to the tensions between the US and Iran? How did we reach this point of crisis? How do these attacks threaten peace and stability in the Middle East? Doug Becker speaks with Nader Hashemi, Asli Ü. Bâli, and Nayereh Tohidi.
This week Sherry continues the discussion on the Emissions Trading Scheme with Green Party co-leader James Shaw. He responds to some criticisms brought up by Sherry from economist Geoff Bertram on the proposed ETS Bill. Secondly, they also discusses the public housing crisis and the lack of affordable homes.
But first, Sherry begins by asking James to respond to Geoff’s critisms regarding the lack of transparency in the proposed ETS bill.
The National Party's Denise Lee joins host, Laura Kvigstad. This week they chat about the concerns of the politicisation of the police and the recent debate that has sparked around the rising minimum wage.
On January 3, the United States used a drone to kill Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. The Iranian’s retaliated with missile strikes against US military assets in Iraq. Under what legal authority did the US kill Soleimani? Are targeted assassinations legal under international law? Doug Becker discusses the laws of war and the current tensions between the US and Iran with Mark Drumbl, Hannah Garry, and Hamoud Salhi.
We are back with our weekly chat with Green party co-leader James Shaw. The Minister attended the climate change conference in Madrid (COP25) in December 2019 and we caught up on criticisms surrounding lack of substantial action and indigenious inclusivity. We also talked about proposed changes to the carbon emissions trading schemes, and the roll out of climate change education in schools.
For the last wire of the year, National MP, Denise Lee joins us to recap her year in National. She tells us about the highs and lows of the year and lets us know what she's looking forward to as we head into the election year, 2020.
Today on Dear Science Allan talks about a new discovery of the lowest point on land, storing data with DNA on everyday objects and Ransomeware damaging not only the functionality of Ukrainian servers but effecting the ability to produce medicine by a Pharmaceutical company.
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