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.
New Zealand's revamped Covid-19 strategy would include an accelerated vaccination rollout, a new individual risk-based border, and self-isolation at home for vaccinated travellers instead of two weeks at MIQ.
Justin spoke to Health Minister Andrew Little about the new health indicators as part of the health sector reforms, and the bill to ban conversion therapy passing first reading at Parliament.
This week Zazi and Brooke have their regular chat, talking about the lights going out in Waikato earlier this week and the Government's recently proposed Hate Speech laws against incitement, hatred and discrimination.
Zazi starts off by asking Brooke about the power outage in Waikato. She asks Brooke about the ACT party's reaction to it, New Zealand's current sources that are used to generate electricity and whether this power outage should start another conversation about reducing our use of, or better distributing, electricity.
Brooke and Zazi then briefly speak on the recently proposed Hate Speech laws, discussing the ACT party's submission and whether Brooke believes that there is a way we can protect free speech and address Hate speech at the same time.
In February las year, Consumer NZ did a survey on consumer issues that matter to them, showing that Environmental issues topped the list this year, for the second time in a row. The survey found a rise in consumers changing their shopping habits in an effort to reduce their environmental impacts. 6/10 people agreed environmental considerations were important to them and that they were looking for "greener" products. However, 72% of people also agreed that it's hard to find which products are really better for the environment.
So today Zazi talked to the Chief Executive at Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy, and Ecostore's Group Research and Development Director Huia Iti about greenwashing, and its role behind why 72% of people find it hard knowing what products are actually better for the environment.
To start the conversation, Zazi first spoke to Jon Duffy about what greenwashing actually is, why it has become more prominent in recent years and how it has been affecting our perception, as consumers, about what products are ethical and what products are not.
Zazi then spoke to Huia Iti, who gave insight into different types of greenwashing, why some companies choose to greenwash instead of just becoming ethical, and why it is important to ask questions about the products we are buying.
This week on the Wednesday Wire, Frances Wright has her regular Dear Science segment with Marcus Jones. They talk about an ICC report that says Human influence on global warming is 'unequivocal'; they then talk about an analysis which reveals that strange turns of phrase may indicate foul play in science; and also explain the mysterious dimming of a bright star.
Frances then talks with Jill Ovens, co-leader of the Midwives Union, about the rolling strikes and lack of midwives in Aotearoa; Frances also speaks to Mallory Fraser, a student midwife, about entering the profession itself.
Zazi Hewlett has her regular catch-up with ACT's Brooke van Velden, this week talking about the power outage that occurred in Waikato earlier this week and the Government's recently proposed Hate Speech laws.
Zazi also talks to the Chief Executive at Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy, and Ecostore's Group Research and Development Director, Huia Iti, about everything greenwashing, its effects on consumers and ways to to distinguish greenwashing brands from ethical ones.
Joe does a brief report on the Line 3 Pipeline issue, an oil pipeline currently threatening the ancestral land of Indeginous people in the US and Canada.
Today on the Tuesday Wire, Jemima Huston investigates Apple's new technology that will scan their US consumer’s devices for known child sex abuse images (CSAM). She speaks to Manager of the Child Exploitation Team for the New Zealand Police Detective Senior Sergeant Alex Carter, Chief Censor David Shanks and Privacy Commissioner John Edwards about some of the issues surrounding Apple's technology. Such as the CSAM situation in New Zeland, how Apple’s technology might impact New Zealand’s response to CSAM if it was rolled out here, whether Apple’s technology would breach New Zealand privacy laws and whether people even have the right to privacy when it comes to storing CSAM on their personal devices.
Joe Wickins reportes the situation with the Line 3 oil pipeline in the United States and its impact on the environment and indigenous people.
Jemima wraps it up with achat with Palestinan Youth Aotearoa’s Fathi Hassneiah and Tāmaki Loves Palestine’s Robin Wilson-Whiting about their joint project to screen David Osit’s documentary Mayor this Sunday at the Capitol in Balmoral, Auckland. They discuss the situation in Palestine, the work of Palestinan Youth Aoteroa and the screening event.
News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston investigates Apple's new technology that will scan their US consumer’s devices for known child sex abuse images (CSAM). The technology has recieved mixed reactions with some concerned that it breaches privacy rights and others pleased that it supports the fight to eliminate CSAM online. Jemima was interested to explore how Apple's technology might impact the response to CSAM in Aotearoa and how it would work under privacy law if it was to be rolled here.
Jemima speaks to Manager of the Child Exploitation Team for the New Zealand Police Detective Senior Sergeant Alex Carter, Chief Censor David Shanks and Privacy Commissioner John Edwards to better understand the CSAM situation in New Zeland. The experts explain how Apple’s technology could affect New Zealand’s response to CSAM and whether Apple’s technology would breach New Zealand privacy laws. These discussions also touch on the important question, do people who store CSAM on their personal devices have a right to privacy?
Unsurprisingly, Jemima discovers that there is no right to privacy in this situation. In Aotearoa, privacy does not go so far as to protect those participating in illegal child sexual exploitation.
Disclaimers: This piece covers child sex abuse material. The interviews conducted do not describe the content of CSAM, rather the way the laws prohibiting it are enforced and how technology is used to find it online. However, if a topic like this makes you uncomfortable, it is advised that you do not listen to this podcast.
As of 10 August 2021, Apple's CSAM scanning technology is only set to be rolled out in the United States. The discussions in this piece about how the technology may impact Aotearoa are all hypothetical.
Palestinan Youth Aoteraoa and Tāmaki Loves Palestin have organised for David Osit’s documentary Mayor to be be screened at the Capitol in Balmoral this Sunday. The film looks at the life of Musa Hadid, the charismatic mayor of Palestinian city Ramallah, who aspires to lead the city into the future despite Isreali occupation. News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston speaks to Palestinan Youth Aotearoa’s Fathi Hassneiah and Tamaki Loves Palestine’s Robin Wilson-Whiting about the film screening project, the situation in Palestine and the work of their groups.
If you are interested in heading along to the screening, Mayor will be screened at the Capitol in Balmoral on Sunday 15th August at 5:30pm. Head to www.pya.org.nz to buy tickets. General admission tickets cost $20 and raffle tickets cost $10.
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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