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.
COVID-19 has turned everyone’s lives upside down. Whether that be working from home, having to update safety measures at essential working places or waiting in line to get a test or vaccination, everyone has had to adapt. As Frances focussed on the Impact of the Lockdown on Supermarket Workers, today Zazi focussed on the impact COVID-19 has on nurses and health care workers.
First off, Zazi speaks with Kerri Nuku from New Zealand Nurses Organisations (NZNO). She begins by asking Kerri Nuku if, since the resurgence of COVID-19, there has been added strain on health care workers.
Zazi then speaks with a senior nurse who is currently working through New Zealand's Level 4 Lockdown, on their thoughts regarding COVID-19 and the current health care working conditions.
This week on Dear Science, Frances was joined by AUT professor Marcus Jones where they talked about the effectiveness of COVID vaccines against Delta, massive volcanoes cooling the earth, and the genetic pattern which offers clues to the evolution of homosexuality.
Since the current Level 4 Lockdown began this time last week, supermarket workers around the country have been under pressure from a continual stream of customers and high stock demands.
This morning, Frances spoke with Tali Williams, Secretary for Retail, Finance and Commerce at FIRST Union, the Union that represents many of the country’s supermarket workers.
They spoke about the pressure supermarket workers are under and the Union’s push for Living Wage for essential workers. Frances began by asking what life is like for supermarket workers at the moment.
Today on the Wire, Jemima Huston speaks to Matthew Jenkins, a Research Fellow in Psychological Medicine from the University of Otago, about how the extension of Alert Level 4 yesterday could impact the mental health of New Zealanders.
Natasha Gallardo, the Chief Executive from the National Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, talks to Jemima about the lack of support the government has given her community throughout the pandemic.
With International Overdose Awareness Day coming up, Joe Wickins interviews Liesje Donkin, a clinical psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Neuroscience from AUT, on addiction, overdose awareness, and mental health.
Jemima talks to Dr Andrew Chen, Research Fellow for Koi Tū – Centre for Informed Futures at University of Auckland, about the government’s latest mandate for compulsory record keeping at large businesses and events at any alert level.
Finally, Jemima wraps it up with a piece about how you can support the elderly people in your life during lockdown. She speaks to Age Concern Auckland’s CEO Kevin Lamb and Otago University Geriatrician Dr Hamish Jamieson about this.
Yesterday, the Government announced that most of the country will stay at Alert Level 4 until Friday 27 August, while Auckland will continue in Alert Level 4 until next Tuesday 31 August. News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston talks to Matthew Jenkins, a Research Fellow at the University of Otago in Wellington in the Department of Psychological Medicine, about how the lockdown being extended might be impacting mental health. They discuss how people can support themselves and feel better during these uncertain times.
On August 14 2021, News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston spoke to Natasha Gallardo, the Chief Executive of the National Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, about what the government could do to better support those with hearing loss in lockdown. The Foundation called for closed captions to be used more widely, clear masks to be implemented, and for businesses to resource their staff with ways to communicate with the hearing loss community. However, a year later, Natasha says these calls have not been answered by the government.
Today Jemima speaks to Natasha again about how the deaf and hard of hearing community is being impacted by the latest lockdown and how you can support those who struggle with hearing loss through this lockdown period and always.
If you are an essential business owner or someone who wants to learn more about how they can better communicate with those with hearing loss, you can head to the Resources tab on National Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing website.
On Sunday, the government announced that record keeping for busy businesses and large events will be mandatory at all alert levels. News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston talks to Dr Andrew Chen, Research Fellow for Koi Tū – Centre for Informed Futures at the University of Auckland,about the mandate and some of the technical concerns around it such as supermarkets not being included and digital exclusion.
Lockdown is a particularly difficult time for the elderly community. It can be very lonely for people and it becomes even harder to access the services like the supermarket, the pharmacy or the doctor.
News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston wanted to find out how we can support the older people in our lives and make sure that everyone gets through lockdown as best they can. She interviewed Kevin Lamb, the CEO of Age Concern Auckland, and Dr Hamish Jamieson, a Geriatrician with the University of Otago, for them to provide some advice on this. They discuss how lockdown has impacted older people in the past, whether the vaccine roll out has alleviated anxieties around Covid-19 and how people can support elderly people.
If you need support during lockdown or want to help out, you can head to www.ageconcernauckland.org.nz or call Age Concern Auckland on 09 820 0184 or 09 489 4975.
If you want help from the Student Volunteer Army with grocery delivery, head to shop.sva.org.nz or call 09 801 2122 if you’re in Auckland. If you want to volunteer you can download the Student Volunteer Army App on your phone or contact help@sva.org.nz.
With Overdose Awareness Day being next Tuesday, August 31st, Joe takes a look at the problems surrounding addiction and mental health during the current COVID-19 pandemic. He speaks to Liesje Donkin, a clinical psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Neuroscience from AUT, on addiction, Overdose awareness, and how the situation with mental health in New Zealand is impacted.
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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