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.
In the theme of militarization of the pacific for wire worry week, Friday wire took a different angle with it, look at New Zealand's resistance to nuclear militarization in the pacific across history. Laura Kvigstad reports the key factors that culminated to the attack on the rainbow warrior before it set out to on an an anti-nuclear mission.
First up on the Wire, we have worry week, where Oscar talked today to Professor Robert Patman about international relations and militarisation of the pacific. Then in a back to back double dosage of Oscar, he’s have harvested another great group to chat to in The Community garden, this week talking to Everybody Eats. After that, Andrew Little joins Lachlan for their regular chat, this week discussing potential future referenda and a meeting with the US intelligence services. Finally on This Day in History, Ben graces the air waves to discuss the ‘Blood in the Water’ water polo match of 1956.
This day in history goes back to 1956 for the "Blood in the Water" match between Hungary and Russia's water polo teams for that year's summer olympics, held in Australia.
Kate McIntyre is a spokesperson for Organise Aotearoa, a new party for liberation and socialism in Aotearoa. They have organised a March for Reproductive Rights that is happening today in Wellington as part of a demand for the choice based reform to abortion laws, as well as a wider conversation for women’s rights more generally. The current law is from 1977 where the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act allowed for abortions to be signed off by two GPs in instances where incest or foetal impairment was involved, or if continuing the pregnancy would significantly danger their health or mental health. Organise Aotearoa say the result of this is people having to lie and jump through hoops to receive an abortion. What the group wants is a choice-based model stating ‘Just as nobody should be denied the right to continue a pregnancy if they wish to, they also shouldn’t be pressured to continue a pregnancy against their will’. Lillian Hanly spoke to Kate to find out more about their demands and started by asking where this conversation came from for the group.
Burnt cars, tear gas, and calls for Emmanuel Macron's resignation: the French are at it again with the protest. This time, it is the Gilets Jaunes (literaly "Yellow Jackets") fighting for social justice. And if it all stemmed online because of a hike in petrol prices due to new taxation, the movement has managed to gain momentum, asking now for more purchasing power and better lives. The revolt has been compared to the events of May 1968, but is France's uprising worse than usual? Or is it just the same feeling of being fed up of being taken for fools?
Ben speaks to Judy Chen from Tourism Export Council New Zealand about what can be done to make sure tourism fatigue does not become a threat to the country's tourism industry.
The Ministry of Health just released the report on an inquiry into our mental health services, and it includes 40 reccomendations. www.mentalhealth.inquiry.govt.nz/inquiry-report/
More stories have developed surrounding the issue of workplace treatment in Parliament after two investigative journalists at the Weekend Herald broke a story about National’s North Shore MP, Maggie Barry.
For Green Desk this week Ella is talking to Jon Suliivan, one of the founders of an app, iNaturalist NZ, which Sulivan helps to drive in his free time.
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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