Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Sara Mckoy, Max Micheel, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
Mack speaks with David Parham, a non-renewable resource analyst at the sustainability accounting standards board, about the implications of renewed mining in Bougainville.
Check out the full podcast for this week's Tuesday show, where we speak to former NZ Herald editor Gavin Ellis about fascism in the media as part of Fuck Off Fascism Week, Marama Fox about mental health funding, an energy analyst about sustainable mining in Papua New Guinea's Bougainville. Also featuring Green Desk with Lilly Peacocke and a special report into #Grime4Corbyn by Sam.
The Opportunities Party Leader Gareth Morgan, speaks to bFm reporter Josh Story about his party's policy towards the legal status of cannabis. Story also talks with the Drug Foundation's Ross Bell.
This week, we look into the Opportunities Party’s New Cannabis Policy. We have our weekly live chat with the Green Party, this week talking to co-leader James Shaw about parental leave and the new Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. We speak to AUT Pacific Media Centre’s Kendall Hutt live for all the latest in Pacific News for Southern Cross. And we have our first installment of Fuck Off Fascism Week, looking at the historical roots and contemporary form of fascism. All of this on the full podcast right here.
It’s Fuck Off Fascism week on the The Wire. Every day this week we’ll be talking to academics, activists and other insightful voices about the concept of fascism and its return to the global political conversation. Producer Ben Goldson looks at the ideology of fascism, its historical roots, and what constitutes fascism today.
This week, Tess and Joel chat to a research scientist from the Global Penguin Society from the University of Otago, Thomas Mattern about the looming extinction of the Yellow-Eyed Penguin, we have our weekly chat with National MP, Jami-Lee Ross, about the new housing plan and the TPP. 95bFM news director, Ximena Smith, speaks to one of the authors from the Auckland Writers Festival, Roxane Gay about her books and writing styles. We have our usual weekly feature, Neighbourhood watch for all the latest in Australian news with Radio Adelaide's Nicole Wedding and a piece by 95bFM reporter, Ambrose, who talks to Quentin Abraham about poverty and it's relationship to mental wellbeing in children. All of this on the full podcast right here.
We speak to Thomas Mattern, a research scientist with the Global Penguin Society from the University of Otago who talks about the latest report on climate change and the threat of extinction to the yellow eyed penguin. The report outlines the factors contributing to the endangered species. It say the due to a number of human and climate factors, the Yellow Eyed Penguin will be extinct by 2060. We speak to Thomas about the report here.
95bFM reporter, Ambrose, speaks to Quentin Abraham, the president of the New Zealand Psychological society about a report by the Child Poverty Action Group and the New Zealand Psychological Society who have been long been concerned with the impact of poverty on children’s health. The combined effects of inadequate family incomes, high living costs and poor housing conditions can lead to serious and prolonged physical illness. 95bFM reporter, Ambrose speaks to Quentin about a report released by these two organisations outlining the impacts.
The Auckland Writers Festival has kicked off, with some very exciting national and international writers scheduled to speak over the coming days. One of the major international speakers is author of 'Bad Feminist' and 'Difficult Women', Roxane Gay. We caught up with her ahead of her talk this Sunday.
If you’re interested in heading along to see Roxane’s talk on Sunday 21 May at 10.30am at the Aotea Centre, get yourself some tickets from here.
On Sunday, “Block the Ban” held a protest against the government’s decision to ban new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria.
The United Nations’ committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination has released a report warning that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights.
And last week, the government rejected the recommended methane emissions targets.
This is despite officials warning against the government doing so, stating that lowering methane emissions targets could increase New Zealand’s contribution to global warming.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.
Safety measures on public transport are of growing concern this week following the fatal and unprovoked attack that took place on route 76 in East Tāmkaki on Monday night.
Earlier this week there were also multiple critical incidents that occurred simultaneously across Auckland’s West Coast beaches and waterways, seeing an unusually high deployment of emergency services and surf lifesavers for this early in the summer.
Swedish home and furniture retailer Ikea opened in Sylvia Park a week ago today, drawing huge excitement for many.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about these topics.
Last week was scrutiny week, where Parliament focuses entirely on holding government agencies and ministers to account, to check-in on how well the Government is performing.
Many of the questions surrounding scrutiny week have been focused on climate change, with many recent reports highlighting the Government’s questionable decision-making.. The biggest headline was that the coalition had chosen to reject all three of the climate change commission’s recommendations to strengthen New Zealand’s emissions targets.
Along with this, the United Nations released a new report, where they’ve warned that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights and entrenching disparities for the indigenous population. In the 14-page report, the UN expressed concerns over multiple government policies affecting Maori, including the disestablishment of the Maori Health Authority, cuts to public funding for Maori services, and minimising the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the report released by the United Nations, but first they discussed Scrutiny Week and the Government’s recent climate change decisions.
The government is pausing the new prescriptions of Puberty Blockers to gender diverse and transgender young people from the 19th of December onwards, following a similar move by the UK after the results of the NHS’s Cass Review.
Wire Producer Flo spoke to activist Lauren Craig about the effects of the legislation, her petition “Reverse the decision to deny transgender and takatāpui young people access to puberty blockers” against the changes and the wider political motivation for the policy.
If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here
With the rise of fast fashion outlets like Shein and Temu alongside the wider mainstream options available that contribute substantial amounts of clothing waste to landfill, experts are calling for an urgent response on a governance, business, and individual level.
Wire Host Sara spoke to Mindful Fashion Chief Executive Jacinta Fitzgerald about the problem, and the industry response to sustainability, as well as University of Auckland Marketing Professor Mike Lee about the importance of ethical consumption.for individuals.
First, is the interview with Fitzgerald, where she begins by talking about the organisation Mindful Fashion.
Following this, Sara spoke to Marketing Professor Mike Lee about the research he has undertaken around consumerism.
The biannual Scrutiny Week took place in Parliament last week, with meetings across select committees and government departments focussed on scrutinising the outcomes of government work.
These include hearings on ministries like Health, Housing, Environment and Justice.
Wire Host Sara spoke to National MP Carl Bates about Scrutiny Week, firstly by asking him to talk about the meetings he was involved in
The government has recently rejected all of the Climate Change Commission’s recommendations regarding strengthening the country’s methane targets recommendations.
The commission’s recommendations include strengthening the county’s 2050 methane emission targets, continuing lowering emissions after 2050, and that international shipping and aviation, which represents 9% of the county’s total emissions, should be included within targets.
Despite the commission saying that there would be upfront costs, many of the changes would result in cost savings over time, however, the government rejected this claim.
For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about the government rejecting these recommendations.
Tāmaki Makaurau’s council budget is among those impacted by the proposal of a rates cap, considering Tāmaki’s average 5.8% annual rates increase across the 25/26 financial year.
Youth homelessness is a growing concern as discussions continue around “move on” orders for those without housing in Auckland’s CBD.
And the Skycity Convention Centre is set to open in 2026, with high hopes for what it may bring for Tāmaki Makaurau after its prolonged development.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Counsellor Fairey about these topics.