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 alleged leaker of National Party leader Simon Bridges’ expenses has apparently come forward, sending a mysterious text message from a disposable phone to Bridges himself, as well as speaker of the house Trevor Mallard, and a member of the media. This morning, Bridges fronted the media to talk about what happened, so Stewart Sowman-Lund had a chat with former National Party president Michelle Boag about how serious this news was, and started by asking what she made of this morning’s press conference:
First up on the Wire, Oscar speaks with Lena Henry, a lecturer at the University of Auckland, about the difference between colonial and indigenous land management . Andrew Little joins Lachlan for our regular chat, this week discussing the criminal justice summit held this week. Lachlan speaks with National Secretary of the Public Service Association Glenn Barclay about the government’s decision to scrap performance pay for public sector CEOs. Finally, This Day in History looks at the storming of Gaddafi's compound in 2011.
Chris Hipkins, the minister responsible for State Services, announced the scrapping of performance pay for public sector CEOs. Up until now, they were eligible for 15% discretionary performance pay bonus for exceptional performance. Hipkins says the move will save about 4 million dollars over the next 4 years. Lachlan spoke with National secretary of the Public Sector Association, Glenn Barclay, about performance pay in the public sector.
Reporter Oscar Perress talked to Lena Henry, a lecturer at University of Auckland, about whenua and its place in the context of urban planning, development and design and how it differs significantly from the colonial view of land as property. They also then discussed the implications of these differences on Aotearoa.
Pubs and clubs all the way from Bluff to Kaitaia will be pausing their poker machines for an hour to coincide with Gambling Harm Awareness Week. The "pause the pokies" initiative takes place this year from third to ninth September, to raise public awareness about the harm of gambling. Over seventy venues throughout New Zealand have signed up take part in this initiative, to encourage gamblers to connect with their whanau and think about the harm of their gambling.
To find out a more about this, Darashpreet spoke to Andree Froude from Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand.
On Dear Science with AUT’s Allan Blackman we talk about why people are left-handed, the potential waste that contact lenses represent, and using oxygen to kill infections.
For our weekly segment with the New Zealand First Party, Lillian talks to list MP Jenny Marcroft about the longest standing Māori radio station, Te Ūpoko o Te Ika and its fight to survive.
For Wire Worry Week, Lillian offers an overview of Te Ture Whenua Maori bill with Toni Love of the Māori Law Review.
And finally Darashpreet shines a light on Gambling Harm Awareness Week, and speaks with Andree Froude from Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand.
Ella spoke with James Harris, community engagement manager with World Vision, about the campaign they recently lauched, #kidsofnauru. The campaign aims to pressure Jacinda Ardern to secure the settlement of 119 refugee children and their families who have been stuck on the small micronesian island for years.
Mary-Margaret speaks to the Auckland Women’s Health Council about a dangerous contraceptive device named Essure, and the lack of informed consent in aspects of the health system. Ella speaks to World Vison about Nauru. Justin’s taking us to international news again, he reports on new infrastructure in Hong Kong. This week on the Greendesk, we discuss new statistical models which show global temperatures will be staying abnormally high over the next four years.
Essure, a contraceptive device designed in the early 2000s, has caused irreversible damage for thousands of women in more recent years. The metal coil is inserted into fallopian tubes, a distinctly more invasive technique than an iud or rod. As we will soon see, the contraceptive poses very high risks. Mary-Margaret spoke to Sue Claridge of the Auckland Women’s Health Council about kiwi and Australian women whose lives have been hurt by the lack of information available about the devices. She started by explaining what the Essure device is.
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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