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.
New research out of the University of Otago has created a groundbreaking new technique that allows for the extraction of DNA from ancient fossils and artifacts without damage.
After lots of trial and error, Otago Master of Science student Lachie Scarsbrook and his supervisor Dr. Nic Rawlence from the Otago Paleogenetics lab were able to find a technique that extracts data in a completely non-destructive way.
To discuss what this discovery means for tracing New Zealand’s ecological history, Emilia Sullivan spoke to Dr. Nic Rawlence.
After weeks of advocacy from Green MPs, Immigration New Zealand has assured that West Papuan students whose scholarships were suddenly cancelled by the Indonesian Government will not be deported to West Papua.
Joe spoke to Teanau Tuiono, Green Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples, on the matter. He began by giving some detail on the situation with West Papuan students studying in New Zealand at the moment.
Dr. Alys Longley has been working with a group of Chilean artists across the pandemic on a collaborative art project that combines thinking across the southern axis to illustrate how we think about art as an essential service in times of crisis and political repression.
Producer Alex spoke to Dr. Alys Longley from the University of Auckland about this project.
We start off with a conversation with ACT’s Brooke van Velden about a Ministry of Health memo released yesterday that advised for the end of MIQ way back in November 2021, and Auckland Council’s implementation of residential density legislation.
Stella then speaks with James Oleson, Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Auckland about the crime in the CBD.
Frances then speaks with Cameron Mulgan on Eurovision, giving a general update on the situation in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden swinging towards joining NATO, the UK's refugee response (sending asylum seekers to Rwanda), French election polls (and some scandals) and the Venice Bienalle opening this weekend
Isla and Stella then host an episode of Tomorrow’s World, investigating viral dogs that have been trained to press buttons that speak human words with PhD candidate Dana Keating from the University of Auckland.
I then speak with Flinders University’s Janet Klein on her research into microplastics in South Australian waters.
Finally, I discuss her new, collaborative artpiece with the University of Auckland’s Alys Longley which was created across media during COVID
In light of crime increases in Auckland’s CBD, Stella talks to James Oleson, Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Auckland about the ways we measure, perceive and respond to crime, and what the literature says about police presence as a deterrent for criminal behaviour. They also respond to calls from mayoral candidates to re-establish a police office in downtown Auckland.
Micro plastics are an issue of growing concern, having been found in environments around the world while the impact on animal and human health has only just started to be quantified.
A team at Flinders University recently completed a study which found concerning levels of microplastic pollution in mussels in South Australia. Alex spoke with the leader of the research Janet Klein earlier today.
Frances speaks with Cameron Mulgan on Eurovision, giving a general update on the situation in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden swinging towards joining NATO, the UK's refugee response (sending asylum seekers to Rwanda), French election polls (and some scandals) and the Venice Bienalle opening this weekend .
The triennial report on the state of the environment in Aotearoa has changed the framework for how it reports its findings. It looks more at mātauranga Māori and exploring the connection between the environment and people. Joe spoke to Professor Amanda Black, Director at Bioprotection Aotearoa and Rutherford Discovery Fellow, as well as Dr. Dan Hikuroa, Senior Lecturer, Te Wānanga o Waipapa, Waipapa Taumata Rau (School of Māori Studies and Pacific Studies, at the University of Auckland on the matter.
This week on our regular catch up with Dr Shane Reti from the National Party, News and editorial director Aneeka speaks to him about Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern heading off to Asia and the country’s recent move down to the orange traffic light setting.
The government of the Pacific island nation Tuvalu has recently reversed its decision to sponsor a deep sea mining company. This decision has been met with support from environmental activists. On the Tuesday Wire, Christina spoke to James Hita, a Greenpeace seabed mining campaigner, about the impacts of deep sea mining.
Last week, the council’s Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) Committee said they would be seeking to implement a number of recommendations that improve emergency readiness for disabled populations.
Following a hui last year where community members were invited to bring forward issues relating to future planning for natural disasters, Sara was interested to hear about how the council is taking suggestions on board.
As well, Auckland Council has been considering proposals to mitigate flood risks around the Wairau catchment, including one which would see the reduction of the size of the Takapuna Golf Course, to convert the space into a flood catchment.
Producer Sara spoke to Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson on both of these topics, firstly by asking him to discuss the desired outcomes relating to emergency preparedness for disabled people, and the council’s first steps to implementation
Zohran Mamdani has all but won the Democratic Primary in New York City after key competitor Andrew Cuomo conceded the race.
Mamdani will now be the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor.
His campaign was built on cost-of-living, where Mamdani presented himself as an authentic, Democratic Socialist, grassroots campaign leader.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to 95bFM reporter and South Asia correspondent Sanat Singh about Momdani’s win, what this means for the communities he represents, and where to from here.
A reported 131,000 submissions were made on the Regulatory Standards Bill.
The Bill, proposed by the ACT party, includes a set of principles outlining “responsible regulation.” Notably, it does not include any mention of either version of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Last weekend, hundreds of Destiny Church members marched on Queen Street in a rally that they called “in defence of faith, flag, and family.”
And the Labour Party has criticised the framing of a poll question by the Taxpayers Union/Curia on whether or not Cook Islanders should retain automatic New Zealand citizenship.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden asked Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about all of these topics.
Recently the Green Party commissioned independent legal advice to look into the government’s $200 million investment in new gas fields that was carried out last month and found out that the investment was in breach of the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS).
NZ First MP Shane Jones recently announced that he’d be drafting a member's bill to force Ngāpuhi into a single commercial settlement, which would prevent hapū from negotiating separate commercial redresses and remove any reference to hapū sovereignty from the settlement terms.
And the Green party recently issued a call to the New Zealand government to condemn the US strikes on Iranian Nuclear facilities, almost a week after Iran and Israel had both been trading missile strikes between each other.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke with MP Hūhana Lyndon to get the party’s take on all of these issues
Last week, Statistics Minister Shane Reti announced plans to scrap the nationwide census moving forward. The census is the largest statistical survey done in Aotearoa, and provides the bulk of population data used in research and decision-making. Reti says the census is “no longer financially viable” and will be replaced with a combination of smaller annual surveys and administrative data.
While the change looks good on paper, there are concerns around how the change in data collection could affect representation of marginalised and minority groups. Census data tends to be more protected from bias than administrative data and smaller surveys, meaning there are more opportunities for misrepresentation. Some statisticians are particularly concerned about the potential exclusion of marginalised rural communities.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked him about the census decision and its implications on marginalised and minority groups.
Associate Health Minister, David Seymour, has recently announced changes to Psilocybin and Melatonin availability.
Psilocybin, the compound found in magic mushrooms, will be available for certain patients suffering from poor mental health outcomes. Melatonin, which is used for insomnia and jetlag, is set to be available over the counter.
For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to him about this move, and the potential accessibility concerns with accessing these medications.
They also discussed taxpayers set to be funding newly-funded cancer medicines for private facilities.
Finally, they discuss opposition parties criticised Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, over a lack of transparency regarding the effectiveness of boot camps for youth offenders, especially as boot camps have received a boost of $30 million, despite the pilot programme still being ongoing.
But first, they discussed Psilocybin and Melatonin.
Last Saturday, over 2,000 protests took place across all 50 American States against President Donald Trump.
The protests coincided with Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the US Army, and they served as a direct response to the military parade in Washington, DC.
The organisers of the protests say they aimed to reject “authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarisation of our democracy.”
Wire Host Caeden spoke to Jeremy Pressman, Professor of Political Science at the University of Connecticut about the protests and the backlash towards them from the Trump administration.
Housing intensification is a key priority for Auckland Council as Auckland's population is forecast to reach 2.3 million by 2050.
But as planning for growth continues, some Auckland residents have expressed concern about the approval of developments in areas on flood plains or particularly prone to natural disasters.
With Kāinga Ora selling homes as ‘high risk investments’ in areas which were impacted by flooding in recent years, and 15 percent of all granted consents for new builds by Auckland Council being on floodplains, I spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about how the council is taking into account these issues for the coming years.
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