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.
University of Auckland professor of Experimental Economics Ananish Chaudhuri is calling for Aotearoa to adopt an independent body for economic policy fact-checking. He wants us to model after the US Congressional Budget Office, in order to improve accessibility to understanding policy, and hold parties to a higher standard of economic accuracy.
Rosetta spoke to Ananish about his ideas and what more needs to be done to improve the reliability of budgeting policy
Migrant exploitation has been a prominent issue for the last few of months with several protests by community groups that lead to labour launching an immigration review.
Aotearoa Tongan Response group is one of the community groups involved in this movement, advocating for the Pasifika community in particular. Rawan spoke with the group’s organiser and community leader, Manase Lua.
They spoke about the state of migrant exploitation, especially his experience with Pasifika migrant workers. I also asked about his thoughts on both National and Labour’s response to this issue and what policies and actions need to be taken.
Rawan speaks with ACT MP Simon Court about the party’s immigration policies.
She started off by asking about their proposed Regulatory Impact Analysis which aims to regularly report on immigration outcomes and policy. We then spoke about their pledge to remove complicated temporary work visas and how they plan to tackle migrant workers exploitation.
Rawan also asked about their parent resident visa and how they plan to make it more efficient for Aotearoa citizens to bring their parents to New Zealand.
40 years ago, the largest women's march in Aotearoa’s history took place in 1983. The march itself was aimed towards contributing to the anti-nuclear movement, and united women across Auckland for the common cause. This week marks the launch of the Auckland Heritage festival and speaking at the festival is Kathleen Ryan, who organised the 1984 march. I spoke to Kathleen about her story, and the relevance of her protest to the way we value our nuclear-free values today.
Caeden spoke with Minister Andrew Little for our weekly catch-up about Posie Parker cancelling her return to New Zealand and yesterday’s anti-trans protest, the investigation into Migrant Exploitation and Immigration New Zealand, and briefly about the Government’s record with climate action.
They started by asking if he’d support Posie Parker’s claim that Immigration New Zealand is corrupt.
On the 11th and the 12th of September, a group of activists protested Aerospace New Zealand’s Aerospace Summit in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Stop the Space Waste organiser Sam Murphy, who was a part of the protest about their concerns with the summit and the aerospace industry in Aotearoa.
She started off the interview asking Murphy about their motive for protesting the summit.
She also spoke to Aerospace New Zealand President Mark Rocket, about what they believe are misconceptions about the aerospace industry.
She started off the interview asking Rocket about the purpose of the summit and who was involved.
Caeden spoke with Climate Justice Organiser with Action Station and Kaupapa Māori Researcher India Logan-Riley (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine) to see if they think climate change is a key focus this election, and how Māori should be centred in climate action plans.
They started by asking if they think climate change is being talked about enough this election.
The mental health system continues to be overloaded, with approximately five hundred thousand people not being able to access the support they need. Experts have discussed the need to lessen the burden on our overloaded system, through preventative strategies.
Olivia spoke to Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Canterbury, Julia Rucklidge, about the need for a preventative approach to mental health, and strategies we can take to improve it.
Sustainable urban design seeks to develop housing and other urban structures with an emphasis on longevity, low waste, and efficiency.
Ashley-Rose Redstone spoke with Head of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland, Dr Lee Beattie, who says the need for more sustainable housing and community design is getting more urgent.
Many have criticised the housing sector as being largely inequitable, with people with impairments lacking the support they need, and often facing discrimination.
Olivia spoke to Chief Executive of Tiaho Trust - Disability a Matter of Perception, Jonny Wilkinson, about the need for improving accessibility in the housing sector, and his personal experience.
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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