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.
On their weekly chat, Justin spoke to Justice Minister Andrew Little on overseas voting, escapes from managed isolation, and the prospect for a four year parliamentary term.
Justin also asked Minister Little on the Labour Party's justice and environment policies for the election.
James Tapp sums up the MPP system for the election.
International Desk reports on the clashes between Armenia and Azerbijan.
On the Wire today, Dear Science's Allan Blackman discusses a trojan-horse cancer treatment without drugs, electricity-exhaling bacteria, and the dangers of eating too much licorice.
Bronwyn speaks to NZFirst’s Tracey Martin about the Department of Internal Affairs' use of NeoFace facial recognition technology.
This week's topic for election coverage is the Environment, so Minister Martin also talks about aquaculture and the billion trees programme. Felix brings us a report comparing the different parties’ climate policies, and Bronwyn reports on feral cats by speaking to Predator Free’s Jessi Morgan and her very own grandad, Alan Wilde.
As part of 95bfm's election coverage on the environment, Hanna speaks to Oxfam New Zealand Campaign Lead Alex Johnston about New Zealand's emissions targets. A report from the organisation found the targets were well below what was necessary to limit warming to 1.5 degrees celsius under the Paris Agreement. The interview disucsses this discrepancy, its global dimensions, and whether climate policy is being approached with the urgency it deserves.
This week on the Wire we're looking at environment policy for our election coverage.
Jemima speaks to Māori Party co-leader John Tamihere about the importance of environmental policies.
Hanna talks to Oxfam New Zealand Campaign Lead Alex Johnston about whether New Zealand's emissions targets are good enough.
Jemima wraps it up with a two part conversation with Emily Bailey from Climate Justice Taranaki and Rosemary Penwarden from Oil Free Otago about the future of oil and gas exploration in Aotearoa.
For 95bFM's election coverage this year, Jemima Huston speaks to Māori Party co-leader John Tamihere about the environmental policy issues. They discuss why environmental policy is so important to consider.
This week Zoë Larsen Cumming has a pretty broad chat with the Green Party co-leader James Shaw on the dairy industry, New Zealand’s waterways and their Farming For Future Plan. They also chat about the lack of Māori issues brought up in the first leaders debate, and why we only have debates with two party leaders when we have an MMP system. They also touch on how the world failed to meet a single target to stop the destruction of nature and why climate change is presented as a partisan issue. Big stuff! Check it out.
Zoë Larsen Cumming interviews Steve Abel, the unofficial leader of Save Canal Road Trees, an over 80 day long protest to save native trees from being cut down in Avondale. To find out more, head to https://saveourtrees.nz/
Zoë Larsen Cumming has her weekly chat with the Green Party co-leader James Shaw on the dairy industry, our water ways, the Farming for Future plan, debates under MMP, and international climate agreements.
Producer Aneeka Moheed interview Kevin Hackwell, chief conservation advisor for Forest&Bird, about the country's wallaby problem.
Then, Zoë interviews the unofficial leader of Save The Canal Road Trees, Steve Abel, on the 80 day long protest to save native trees from being cut down in Avondale.
Finally, Aneeka brings a report on the Jobs for Nature Programme.
This morning Aneeka was made aware of the wallaby problem in Aotearoa and speaks to Kevin Hackwell, chief conservation advisor for Forest&Bird about what needs to be done about this pest.
Aneeka brings us a report on the Department of Conservation's, Jobs for Nature Programme. Within the $1.3bn being invested in environmental work under the government's Covid-19 recovery plan, $200m is going towards this programme which will hopefully cement conservation efforts in Aotearoa as stimulate jobs for a growing number of Kiwis in struggling industries.
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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