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.
This week, Jogai and Harry chat with an Associate Professor from Victoria University, Marcus Frean, to learn a little bit about deep learning and artificial intelligence ahead of his lecture tonight, and bFM reporter Amanda Jane Robinson engages in a lively Skype session with the author of the acclaimed novel, I Love Dick. Our weekly feature State of the States is back, with new correspondence from WNYU News, and Producer Harry Willis has a report on migrant hospitality workers. Andrew Little is also back for our weekly chat. All this and more on the Thursday Wire - check out the full podcast here.
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 Nigerian/ American novelist, essayist, art historian and photography columnist for The New York Times, Teju Cole. We caught up with him ahead of his talk this Friday on his recent collection of essays, Known and Strange Things.
If you’re interested in heading along to see Teju’s talk on Friday 19 May at 1pm at the Aotea Centre, get yourself some tickets from here.
Hundreds of thousands of computers and networks worldwide are currently under attack from a devastating virus. Appropriately named WannaCry, the virus was first detected on Friday May 12th. Shortly after, the worm had gone global, infecting 230 thousand computers across 150 countries, with the highest profile victim being hospitals across Britain's National Health Service. 95bFM’s Adam Jacobson speaks to Professor Clark Thomborson, a cyber security expert at the University of Auckland, to find out the details behind WannaCry and how ransomware functions.
The New Zealand Promoters Association are expressing strong concerns surrounding Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency’s choice to elect Ticketmaster as the exclusive ticketer for Venue Wellington. 95bFM’s Adam Jacobson spoke with NZPA Vice-President Gray Bartlett about why event promoters are uneasy about the decision, and about whether it’s affecting cities beyond Wellington as well.
It’s no secret Trump spilled some highly-classified beans last week during his meeting in the White House with the Russian Foreign Minister. But what actually went down? What’s the significance of this revelation for US national security? And will there be any consequences for Trump? 95bFM’s Ximena Smith reports.
This week on the show, Ximena & Adam have a hell of a diverse line-up for ya, ranging from a chat with Writers’ Festival speaker Teju Cole to a report explaining Trump’s classified information disclosure to Russia. Sam Fraser-Baxter also chimes in for Dear Science to tell us about the wild dude who invented the deprivation tank.
A new project aiming to increase youth engagement in politics in New Zealand has been launched. Active Citizenship Aotearoa is aiming to empower, engage and educate young New Zealanders to become active citizens. Young people make up 20 percent of the voting age population in New Zealand, yet have the lowest level of electoral enrolment across all age groups. Active Citizenship Aotearoa say they are failed by an inconsistent standard of education nationwide, and are not taught about voting, democracy or civic affairs. The group are planning to create education campaigns to equip young people to be active citizens, who understand and participate in the governance of their communities. Reporter Sam Smith spoke to one of the founders Isabella Lenihan-Ikin.
Check out the full podcast for this week's Tuesday show, where we look into new Unitec research showing students are struggling to make ends meet, talk to the founder of a new civics education initiative, look at a new mattress recycling program by Auckland Council and speak to Victoria University lecturer Jason Young about China's new trade expansion.
We look at new research from Unitec showing significant numbers of students are considering dropping out because of financial struggles. Including interviews with Alison Dow, Manager of Student Engagement and Experience at Unitec, NZUSA President Jonathon Gee, AUSA President Will Matthews and students from Auckland University.
From Dec 27 to Jan 18, all train lines across Tāmaki will be shutting down for summer maintenance, a closure which is expected to be the last of its kind ahead of the opening of the City Rail Link.
The current measles outbreak in Tāmaki is being continually monitored, with exposure sites being updated daily on info.health.nz. The public are encouraged to track whether they’ve been in possible contact with the virus, and get up to date on any vaccinations to limit possibilities of transmission.
Auckland Council are supporting arts initiatives across the summer months, with Music in the Park kicking off in early January, and Movies in the Park following in February.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about these topics, and also asked for comment following the attack by two gunmen at Bondi Beach earlier this week.
Yesterday, the latest six-monthly survey of housing support providers under the National Homelessness Data Project, or NHDP, showed that homelessness in Auckland has more than doubled in the year to September. The report also found that 14 of the 21 agencies interviewed reported an increase in homelessness.
As well as this, Australia’s ban on social media for children under 16 has taken effect. And according to an interim report into social media harm, a social media ban for children in New Zealand is worth exploring further.
And last week the Government announced the replacement of the Resource Management Act, or RMA. The coalition said its replacement will slash red tape and supercharge growth.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the Government’s new RMA reforms and a potential social media ban in New Zealand.
But first they discussed the latest report on Auckland homelessness.
The Parliament’s Workforce and Education Committee has released an interim report on an inquiry into the harm young New Zealanders face online. The government has recently announced an overhaul of the Resource Management Act and introduced two new bills in its place, the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill.
For our weekly catch-up with the National Party, Producer Vihan spoke to MP Carl Bates, who is also the Deputy Chairperson of the Workforce and Education Committee, about the new findings of the interim report, the new Natural Environment Bill, and the Fast Track Approval Amendments Bill.
The government has announced the overhaul of the Resource Management Act (RMA), which will be replaced by two different bills, the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. The RMA is set to be fully replaced by 2029.
The RMA, which has been in effect for 34 years, is polarising across the political spectrum.
In announcing the reforms, RMA Reform Minister, Chris Bishop, says that “pretty much everything” will be quicker and less costly under the new regime.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about this overhaul of the RMA.
They also discussed The Education and Workforce Committee’s interim report on the harms young people experience online, with a majority recommending a ban on social media for under-16-year-olds.
But first, they discussed the overhaul of the RMA.
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
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
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