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.
Senior taxation lecturer at Massey Univeristy, Deborah Russell, has co-authored a book with Terry Baucher, director of tax consultancy firm, Baucher Consulting Limited. In Tax and Fairness, they propose a modernised system, which would more accurately reflect the New Zealand's economy in 2017. Producer Ben speaks with Russell, also the Labour Party's candidate for New Lynn, about why New Zealand's tax system needs an overhaul.
Ten months after an outbreak of Campylobacter infected 5,500 people in the town of Havelock North, the first stage of a Department of Internal Affairs report has been released. Although sheep faeces has been blamed for the immediate outbreak, the local authorities, Hawkes Bay Regional Council and Hastings District Council, were also criticised for indirectly contributing.
The report cited earlier contamination events which went largely ignored, infrastructure which wasn't up to standard and a lack of communication between the two councils as the basis for their criticism. Although the second stage of the report is ongoing, the report acknowleged they had no legal basis to criticise local farmers whose sheep were most likely the cause. Instead, Producer Ben speaks with Greenpeace New Zealand's Amanda Larrson, about the effect intensive agriculutre may have had.
This week, we speak with Amnesty International Executive Director Grant Bayldon about the Good Friday shooting on Manus Island, Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei about tenancy terms and medicinal cannabis, AUT Pacific Media Centre Director David Robie about the latest in Pacific news, senior lecturer and Labour Party candidate Deborah Russell about modernising New Zealand's tax system, and Greenpeace New Zealand spokesperson Amanda Larson about the Department of Internal Affairs' report on the Havelock North gastro outbreak. Producer Ben Goldson also spoke with Amanda about the current global cyber attacks.
Amnesty International has released a new briefing that reveals bullets were fired directly into the Manus Island refugee centre on April 14th. The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the Papua New Guinea police claimed the soldiers fired only into the air. However, Amnesty International claims that digital verification of images and videos show this is not the case. Monday Wire host Amanda Jane Robinson speaks with Executive Director of Amnesty International about the briefing.
The Productivity Commission has proposed that the government should shift to variable subsidies for tertiary education funding.
95bFM reporter, Kelly Enright spoke to Productivity Commission chief Advisor Kevin Moar about the report. She started by asking what the proposal actually recommends.
bFM’s Joel Thomas also spoke to Jonathan Gee, the president of the New Zealand Union of Students Association, about the problems he has with the proposal. Gee believes variable subsidies will disadvantage lower-income students and imply the sole purpose of tertiary education is to get students into the workplace.
NIWA released a report about whether the Government's proposed water standards actually improve swimability, and how it compares to overseas standards.
The report came after some confusion and public debate about what the swimmable rivers component related to E. coli actually meant. NIWA prepared a technical background paper to inform us, and people in the science community so fact-based conclusions could be made.
bFM's Tess Barnett spoke to Marnie Prickett from the freshwater campaign group, Choose Clean Water, about the report and where their organisation stands on the issue.
This week, we chat to Kevin Moar from the productivity commission about a proposed plan for tertiary subsidies, Joel also chats to Jonathon Gee from the New Zealand Union of Students Associations about the issue. Joel and Tess have their weekly chat with National MP Jami-Lee Ross, this week we discuss Maori run prisons and the DOC funding. Joel spoke to Radio Adelaide's Nicole Wedding for all the latest in Australian news. Lastly, Tess spoke to Marnie Prickett from freshwater campaign group Choose Clean Water about a report released by NIWA about New Zealand's water standards.
Last night the government voted against a Green Party Bill that was proposed to help reduce the gender pay gap in Aotearoa, which currently stands between 12 and 14 per cent. Wire producer Harry Willis spoke with Green Party Women's Spokesperson Jan Logie about the Bill, beginning with the question of what it actually is and what it hopes to achieve.
New research is claiming that New Zealand has one of the most distorted tax environments for housing of any country in the OECD. Dr. Andrew Coleman, an Affiliate of Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, argues that had tax policy been different, the country might not be seeing the housing crisis currently in effect. bFM reporter Ximena Smith spoke with Dr. Coleman earlier this week, starting with a breakdown of the tax problems we're currently are facing.
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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