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 Dear Science today we talk about plants and CO2, the ocean changing colour and contraception use in the United States following Trump’s election win.
Fletcher Tabuteau from NZ First is back after a few weeks and tells us what he’s been up to and his reponse to NZ First polling so low this week.
Dayne Smith, founder of the I Love Avondale social mediai page, speaks to us about community engagement in the neighbourhood.
And a play in the Fringe festival raising money for Youthline is about the perils of flatting.
This is How We’re Gonna Die is a play set in a flat with the flatmates faced with the prospect of the world ending. It is raising money for Youthline this year and is playing as part of the Fringe festival, with shows starting next week. Kelly Gilbride is a co-founder of PG Productions, along with Lana Petrovic. Lana wrote the play and Kelly directed it. Steven Maxwell is acting in it. Lillian Hanly had Kelly and Steve in studio to talk about the play and how difficult flatting can be.
The Our March pride event happened over the weekend, along with other events throughout Tāmaki Makaurau over the week. Much commentary from mainstream media was questioning the event in the wake of a number of corporate sponsors pulling out following the Auckland PRide Boards decision to ban police uniforms. Phylesha Brown-Acton is a board member to the auckland pride festival incorporated society organisation. Lillian Hanly spoke with Phylesha to find out more about Our March, and the history of the pride events.
A recent study has shown that the majority of women think they need to "take a break" from oral contraceptive pills every couple of years. But there is actually no biological evidence for "giving your body a break" from the contraceptive pill. So how do myths about contraception come about? Olivia Holdsworth spoke to Family Planning’s nurse advisor Laura Ingram about this issue and started by asking what are the side effects of the pill?
Last night, Newshub released it’s first Reid Research political poll for 2019. It saw National plunge to its worst result in a decade. And, it saw Judith Collins rise up above Simon Bridges in the preferred PM stake.
Stewart Sowman-Lund spoke to the Spinoff’s Duncan Grieve about whether polls are becoming too much of an event, and starting by asking him whether polls even matter nowadays?
The Our March pride event happened over the weekend, along with other events throughout Tāmaki Makaurau over the week. Much commentary from mainstream media was questioning the event in the wake of a number of corporate sponsors pulling out following the Auckland Pride Boards decision to ban police uniforms. Phylesha Brown-Acton is a board member to the Auckland Pride Festival Inc. Society Organisation. Lillian Hanly spoke with Phylesha to find out more about Our March, the history of the pride events and what Pride could look like in the future.
The government has announced a ban on smoking in cars when people under the age of 18 are present. The ban has been a long time coming, with the select committee recommending in 2016 that the then National Government introduce it. Despite them not doing so, it appears most parties are in agreement that the ban, which includes cigarettes as well as vapes, is the right move. Lachlan spoke with Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft about the ban.
Three Wellington high schools have introduced a police course for year thirteen students. The course takes a full year and worth 25 level three NCEA credits. It has faced criticism from some groups as a cynical attempt to clean up their image and find new recruits, while others see it as a way to engage with marginalised communities in a better way. Lachlan spoke with Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Kerekere about the course.
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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