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 Chinese government has attempted to demolish a newly-built mosque in its western region, citing it hasn't been given proper building permits. It is followed by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination claiming that China is holding one million Muslim Uighurs in camps. Justin is finding out why Beijing is tightening its control on Chinese Muslims.
This week, our resident Greendesk producer Jack Marshall learnt about the pressure that climate change puts on coastal areas in particular. He spoke to Professor Ilan Noy, Chair in the Economics of Disasters & Professor of Economics at Victoria University. Noy and his co authors have released a paper looking at how the Earthquake commission is already tackling the damage caused by climate change. To start, Noy gave an overview of what exactly their paper has looked at.
A prisoner who was originally detained in a North Island facility is seeking a Judicial Review in response to years of deliberate obstruction to his appeals against the Department of Corrections. Days before he was set to appear in Wellington’s High Court, he was taken to a different prison all the way down in Christchurch, and 9 boxes of his legal documents were seized. People Against Prisons Aotearoa have been advocating for this prisoner, and yesterday went public about Corrections’ treatment of him. Mary-Margaret spoke to their representative Emmy Rakete about the situation.
This week on the Monday Wire Jemima spoke with co-leader of the Green Party, James Shaw, about the government's plastic bag ban and Statistics New Zealand's development of new statistical indicators to measure the nation's success. Southern Cross was in studio for our regular segment to discuss the detention of a Bangladeshi journalist, the controversial film Confucius, ABC cut backs of Radio Australia frequencies, and Vanuatu seeking support from West Papua. Damian spoke with Clive Matthew Wilson about bus safety and seatbelts for buses. To wrap it up Lillian spoke with the co-founder of the Paper Rain Project, Indigo Greenlaw, about how the company raises awareness for social causes.
Lillian spoke with Indigo Greenlaw about the Paper Rain Project. The company works with artists and creators to produce sustainable art goods that raise awareness for social causes. Indigo is the co-founder of the company and explains what it is that the Paper Rain Project does.
As we’ve been speaking about on the show, free speech is basically the topic de jour for New Zealanders at the moment. In the last month we’ve had a visit from controversial canadians Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern, and just this week Massey University cancelled an event with former National Party leader Don Brash. However, last night ,Brash had his chance to speak in a debate at the University of Auckland about whether PC culture has limited free speech in this country. Herald senior writer Simon Wilson was in the debate, and spoke with Stewart Sowman-Lund about what happened.
Plus: Kelly, Stewart and Laura discuss the results of the Twitter poll, which asked listeners whether they had ever protested.
Jenn Tamati spoke to professional teaching fellow at the University of Auckland, Aimee Matiu, about Māori epsitemologies of land and the context this gives land as legal entity as well as discourse on the matter today. She began by showing Aimee a gif which can be viewed here.
Stay tuned til' the end to hear some clips from around the station of places people find special and me spilling water all over Amelia (eek!).
Producer Laura Kvigstad spoke with the Spokesperson for Central Auckland’s State Housing Action Network, Gael Baldock, about what has been dubbed the ‘meth testing fiasco’. Residents of state housing were evicted on the basis of meth tests that were formerly used as a safety measurement. The organization is now calling for a formal apology and compensation for the evicted.
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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