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.
This week on the Wire, Dear Science's Marcus Jones tells Bronwyn about the Ig Nobel Prize winners, genetic discoveries about Vikings and IBM’s 1000-quibit quantum computer.
Bronwyn speaks to NZFirst’s Tracey Martin about the Māori Party’s proposal for a new, independent 'Mokopuna Māori Entity' to replace Oranga-Tamariki.
Election coverage this week is health and the referenda, so Bronwyn also speak to Minister Martin about the end of life choice bill and recreational cannabis.
Then, Felix speaks to Lukas Marek, a researcher at the University of Canterbury, about childhood immunisation.
Lastly, Bronwyn speaks to lawyer Catherine Marks who fact-checks some of the claims made about the End of Life Choice Bill by anti-assisted dying campaign group ‘votesafe’.
The End of Life Choice referendum asks voters to make a moral decison. Both sides of the referendum raise ethical issues, meaning voters must grapple with questions of life, death, choice and inequity. Come October 17th, voters should know not only how they intend to vote in the referendum, but why they have come to that conclusion.
For an ethics-centred perspective on Euthanasia, Hanna spoke to Dr Vanya Kovach, from the Philosophy department at the University of Auckland.
Today on the Wire we focus on the End of Life Choice Referendum as part of our election coverage.
Jemima speaks to ACT Party Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden who outlines the End of Life Choice Act 2019 and the requirements to be eligible for assisted dying.
Jemima also highlights a number of concerns surrounding assisted dying and the Act, which are addressed by Brooke van Velden and Associate Professor of Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Auckland, Phillipa Malpas.
Hanna talks to Dr Vanya Kovach, who teaches Ethics in the Philosophy department at the University of Auckland, about the ethical issues surrounding euthanasia.
The End of Life Choice Referendum is a public vote on whether assisted dying under the End of Life Choice Act 2019 should become part of the law in Aotearoa. If a majority vote "yes" in the referendum, the Act will come into force and if a majority vote "no", the Act will not be able to be accessed.
Jemima Huston explores the number of social and moral issues that surround the Act and assisted dying such as the input of family in the decision, coercion, the responsibility of doctors to preserve life vs. end life, the right for a doctor to opt out and the short "cooling down" period between prescribing and administering a lethal dose.
ACT Party Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden and University of Auckland Associate Professor of Clinical Medical Ethics Phillipa Malpas provide an insight into these issues and help breakdown what exactly we are voting for in the End of Life Choice Referendum.
This week from the 21st to the 27th of September is Mental Health Awareness Week and this year's theme is He Tirohanga Anamata, or Reimagine Wellbeing Together. Aneeka speaks to Shaun Robinson, the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation about what we need to see happening in the country to support Kiwis struggling with Mental Health.
Unity Mixes is a DJ duo that came onto the Auckland Music Scene at the start of the year. Aneeka spoke to one half of the duo, made up of Warren and Ziggy, about what they're upto at the moment and their first event they are hoping to host on Friday.
Zoë Larsen Cumming reports on most of the major parties' health policies on the 2020 election ballot. She looks at Labour, National, the Greens, the Māori Party, New Zealand First, ACT, and The Opportunities Party. The health policies have been broken up into the following subsections: COVID 19 response, public health, health services, alcohol and drugs and mental health.
This week's theme for 95bFM's election coverage is health and referendums.
Zoë interviews Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick on the cannabis referendum.
Then she brings a report on some of this ballot's parties' health policies.
Next producer Aneeka Moheed interviews Shaun Robinson, CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand about what we need to see from the government and community to support struggling Kiwis.
Finally, Aneeka interviews Warren Rodricks, one half of Unity Mixes, about what the DJ collective are up to and their first event they are hoping to host this Friday.
For our election coverage we talk to TOP's Geoff Simmons about all things local economy, then divulge into a look at innovation in agriculture to assess agricultural policies by, with both Mark Ross of Agcarm and Sarah Smuts-Kennedy of For The Love of Bees.
In the Community Garden, Ihaia from Ōtara Waterways and Lakes Trust joins us to discuss what they are all about.
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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