Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Castor Chacko, Oto Sequeira, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
On this week's Monday Wire, we reflect on our favourite interviews from 2024, as we wrap up our reporting for the year.
In August, for her weekly catch up with the ACT Party's Simon Court, Producer Evie spoke to him about the proposed repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act on the same day Aotearoa’s largest iwi, Ngāpuhi, was on a hikoi in opposition to the proposal.
A week prior to this, Evie also spoke to Emmy Rakete, a lecturer at the University of Auckland who is Ngāpuhi herself, about the hikoi and her thoughts on the proposed repeal.
In October, News and Editorial Director, and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Professor in the Faculty of Law at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Paul Myburgh, about the legislative implications of the Inquiry into the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui, as well as Lecturer in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago, Dr Bridie Allan, about what environmental implications we were seeing due to the oil spillage.
And in November, Producer Yesenia spoke to E Tū Union's Savage Director of Organisations at E Tū about the core messages workers have for the ministry of Health and where the Work and Safety Act of 2015 could be improved to reflect workers vitality.
This week on the Tuesday Wire is a special 'Best of the Wire' segment...
For Dear Science this week, our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about worms eating face masks, spray on tattoos, and neanderthal-human interbreeding. Afterward, we ran back some clips from some of the best Dear Science segments this year.
We also ran back some of the best Tuesday Wire interviews today, including…
Wire host Castor spoke with Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Information and Technology at Monash University in Melbourne, Jathan Sadowski, about the use and development of Artificial Intelligence.
They also spoke with President of the New Zealand Police Association Chris Cahill about the organisation’s open letter to the government regarding their involvement with firearms legislation reform.
And they spoke with Professor at the University of Auckland, James Russell to talk about the costs and methods of pest eradication in Aotearoa.
Producer Athena spoke with Professor at the University of Auckland, Ngaire Kerse, about the loneliness epidemic among older people.
The government as announced their plan for the Cook Strait ferry a year after they scrapped Labour’s plan, including cancelling the ferries the Labour government had ordered.
And a new report from the Ministry of Social Development has revealed nearly a quarter of beneficiaries are not receiving their correct entitlements.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
The expert mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, part of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, has written to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to express its concern about the Treaty Principles Bill.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to University of Auckland Law School Associate Professor Andrew Erueti about the letter and its significance.
The Healthcare exec Brian Thompson was shot dead by a masked assailant last week.
The crime has gained significant controversy and attention online, with many using it to restart the debate on the inequities of the United States healthcare system.
And this week Yale University was the latest college to commit to divesting from weapons manufacturing after a student vote.
For State of the States this week Wire Host Caeden speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about both of these topics.
Last week, the Minister for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Judith Collins, announced that the 30-year-old Marsden Fund would no longer support social sciences and humanities.
In 2024, Māori made up 13% of all Marsden funded investigators. By taking away the humanities and social sciences panel, that number plunges to just 5.5%.
The decision has been harshly criticised by researchers across academic disciplines. Now, 80 Rutherford Discovery Fellows have come together to present an open letter to the Minister voicing their concerns, condemning the ‘damaging changes’ to the Marsden Fund’s terms of reference which they want to see reversed, immediately.
Producer Sofia spoke to Principal Social Scientist at GNS Science Te Pū Ao, Dr Nicholas Cradock-Henry, about this announcement and his concerns.
She also spoke to Kaihautū of Te Whare Whakatupu Mātauranga, Te Wānanga o Raukawa; and Honorary Adjunct Professor at Te Kawa a Māui - School of Māori Studies at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, Dr Carwyn Jones (Ngāti Kahungunu), about how the Marsden Fund cuts disproportionately impact Māori researchers.
Just last week, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister - Judith Collins, announced that the government would be slashing funding to humanities and social sciences programmes funded under the Marsden Fund.
Collins said that Marsden funding needed to be redirected to natural science fields, such as physics, mathematics and biology, which she said had more "tangible" impacts on the economy.
However, the move has been criticised by academics from both humanities and social sciences background, who've highlighted the importance of social science in highlighting societal inequities and called the funding cuts "ideologically-driven".
Oto spoke to Nicola Gaston from the Department of Physics at the University of Auckland for her perspective on the cuts to humanities and social science programs in the Marsden fund as a professor in a natural science field.
Just one week ago, science, innovation and technology Minister Judith Collins announced cuts to the Marsden Fund, specifically for humanities and social sciences, reinforcing the government's clear initiative to focus on rebuilding the economy and putting business first.
Following this announcement came major backlash from professors, researchers and mainstream news, which claim to shrink the already small percentage of allocated funds towards humanities to an even smaller number. The cuts will also disproportionately affect Maori researchers, cutting the existing 13% of funded research to a proposed 5.5%.
Many argue that social sciences and humanities are important for understanding societies’ and the science which will be applied to it. However, another viewpoint to consider is the millions of taxpayer money which has been going to silly projects, something which needs to be discussed in further detail.
So Sasha spoke to Dr Julie Douglas, National President of the Tertiary Education Union, who believes that the government is making a shortsighted decision for cutting humanities and social sciences from the Marsden Fund.
Data from environmental observations, such as satellites and specialised cameras, is a powerful tool that has long been restricted to the use of government organisations, businesses and for-profit enterprises.
With collaboration from the University of Auckland, The Earth Observation Laboratory Aotearoa has just launched last week, and is aimed at providing earth observation data that enables businesses, researchers and communities. This data is important for predictions in climate, crop growth and other geological purposes.
Sasha spoke to Environment Lecturer and Co-Lead of the lab, Thomas Dowling, about the new observation lab and its potential uses.
Recently, an independent evaluation was conducted on Foodstuff’s trial of facial recognition technology in their security system at 25 of their outlets in the North Island.
The evaluation found that using facial recognition in security cameras reduced crime and harmful behaviour at foodstuffs outlets by 16%, based on an examination of 1742 facial recognition alerts for repeat offenders.
However, there were also 9 instances were customers were misidentified as offenders by the system, with one woman who was wrongly removed from a Pak’n’save launching a case againsts facial recognition technology with the Human Rights Review Tribunal, claiming that the technology was discriminatory.
Oto spoke to Guhan Gunasekara, an Associate Professor of Commercial Law at the Univeristy of Auckland, to discuss the implications of facial recognition technology at retail outlets, and what we can expect in the aftermath of the independent evaluation into the trial.
The Healthcare exec Brian Thompson was shot dead by a masked assailant last week.
The crime has gained significant controversy and attention online, with many using it to restart the debate on the inequities of the United States healthcare system.
And this week Yale University was the latest college to commit to divesting from weapons manufacturing after a student vote.
For State of the States this week Wire Host Caeden speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about both of these topics.
The government as announced their plan for the Cook Strait ferry a year after they scrapped Labour’s plan, including cancelling the ferries the Labour government had ordered.
And a new report from the Ministry of Social Development has revealed nearly a quarter of beneficiaries are not receiving their correct entitlements.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
For City Counselling this week, producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Shane Henderson about proposed time-of-use charging to solve congestion problems in Tāmaki and Council selling their remaining Auckland Airport shares last week.
The Green party recently released He Ara Anamata - the Green party’s emissions reduction plan.
The document covers more than 10 areas of the economy and energy Sector that a Greens-led government would be looking to adapt to minimise carbon emissions and protect the natural landscapes of Aotearoa.
It also comes 5 months after the government released their own draft emissions plan. Numerous experts pointed out that the government is behind on their own plan’s targets to meet the crucial emissions budget for 2031-2035.
For their weekly catchup, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss the party’s new emissions reduction plan and how they would address climate and the economy in a greens-led government.
Last election, one of the National Party’s main campaign promises was to be ‘tough on crime’, promising to increase police coverage and penalties for crimes. A target was set to increase the number of police officers by 500 by November 2025, however some police leaders today say this goal is unrealistic.
The government also announced this week some shakeups to insulation standards, which they say should make houses more affordable.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor spoke to him about police staffing targets and new insulation standards.
This week on Dear Science, our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about what latrines teach us about people, climate variation affecting Chinese dynasties, and invasive species becoming threatened.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
Last week it was revealed that two of the ten participants in the government's pilot bootcamp programme were on the run.
The youth were two months into the community rehabilitation phase of the programme, following the three month youth justice residence phase. Both teens were found in the weekend, but had allegedly reoffended, and are now set to come before the court.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, who have been heavily advocating for this programme, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about this incident.
She also talks to him about proposed changes to employment law which would give employers the power to dismiss workers earning over $180,000 without the employee refuting the decision.
And finally, she talks to him about David Seymour’s incumbent run as Deputy Prime Minister, which is set to begin in May of next year.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about changes to Auckland Transport’s responsibilities, nationwide bus and train fare hikes, and concerns over the opening of the City Rail Link.
For State of the States this week, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Andre Fa'aoso from the Yale Daily News about President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, who was due to be sentenced next week for three felony charges.
They also discuss Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director, who is the latest in a long list of unorthodox picks for government positions from Trump
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