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.
The Green Party has written an open letter to the Immigration Minister calling for a broad amnesty programme for people who've overstayed their visa, and for temporary visa holders to be granted residency.
The party's immigration spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March spoke to Justin.
Otago University's largest student club is now the Sign-up Club and it just asks people to sign up and "invite 3 friends" to do so.
The club's members have successfully petitioned the Otago University Students' Association (OUSA) to start a special general meeting tomorrow, and put in motions such as including the phrase "sign up and tag 3 friends" in the email signature of any OUSA official correspondence.
Club President Reid Eberwein and Vice Presidet Devon Burns spoke to Justin.
This week Dear Science is a little bit shorter, but that doesn't make it any worse!
This week Allan talks to James and Aneeka about anti-matter and anti-matter stars and some of the complication which come with them.
Allan also dishes out the info on a new plastic in the U.S which has enzymes intergrated into plastic so it can decompose withour producing microplastics.
This week James talks to Brooke live on air, as she's currently on tour for ACT's free speak campaign down safe.
James and Brooke start off with a chat about firearms licencing delays with the duck hunting season quickly approaching.
Next on the agenda, James asks Brooke about local government and some of the reforms which will be happening around the role councils play in communities.
Finally, James and Brooke discuss a motion the ACt part is putting thorugh parliament, asking parliament to join the U.K and Canada in condemning China for commiting genocide against Uyghur muslims.
In a recent study, it was found when it comes to crowdfunding campaigns, not only is a large amount of pressure place on those fundraising for medical purposes, but there are also certain biasies which can determine how successfula campaign is.
To understand why people campaign, what makes a good campaign, and what some of the stresses are, James talks to Dr. Tom Baker, one of the authours of the study about what was found.
In the fifth installment of, 'What's the Buzz?' with the New Zealand Drug Foundation, Aneeka speaks to Executive Director, Sarah Helm, and Programme Lead, Emily Hughes, about Ketamine. They discuss Ketamine and its dangers in recreational use as well as touching on clinical trials that are looking at its effectiveness in combatting depression.
This week James and Aneeka keep thinks alive with a few live interviews and a couple other pieces to get you through the middle of the day.
As always, Wednesday started off with Dear Science, this week with Allan Blackman. This week they discuss anti-matter start and plastics with enzymes built into them.
James chats to Brooke van Velden from the ACT party live over the phone this week, with firearm licences, local government and China on th agenda.
Aneeka talks to Sarah Helm and Emily Hughes from the NZ Drug Foundation for What's the buzz, where they discuss ketamine.
James talks to Dr. Tom Baker from the University of Auckland about a study which looks at crowdfunding and biases.
Today Lyric Waiwiri-Smith speaks with Awerangi Tamihere from Te Whānau o Waipareira about their 'Proud to be Māori' campaign, which has been making the rounds on Auckland's streets via posters and social media platforms. We discussed Te Whānau o Waipareira's hsitory and support for it's community, the struggle for Māori to be seen as exceptional, and Rawiri Waititi's history in West Auckland.
This morning Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei launched their 'Body WoF' programme, providing free health check ups for their hapū members and encouraging healthy living. Lyric Waiwiri-Smith caught up with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei's collective impact project manager Shazeaa Salim for a quick chat about the programme.
Today on the Tuesday Wire, Lyric Wairwiri-Smith talks to Awerangi Tamihere from Te Whānau o Waipareira about their ‘Proud to be Māori’ campaign.
Following a state government crackdown on teachers found politicising the classroom in New South Wales, Australia, Jemima Huston questions the sentiment, “politics has no place in the classroom”. She speaks to the parents group of the school involved in the Australian crackdown to hear their story and also talks to Victoria Univeristy of Wellington Lecturer in Education Bronwyn Wood, NZEI Te Riu Roa President Liam Rutherford and the New Zealand Principals Federation about where Aotearoa stands on whether politics has a place in the classroom.
Lyric chats with Shazeaa Salim from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei about their “body WoF” programme kicking off today.
Finally, Tuesday Wire has a new segment from Isla Christensen and Stella Huggins who are looking at the world as we know and how scientific issues affect people and our futures. This week they explore Elon Musk’s neurolink brain chip.
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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