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.
Oscar talked to Filipo Levi, the community liason manager of South Auckland Middle School, one of the charter schools under the Villa Education Trust, about religious education in New Zealand and the structure, freedom and legitimacy of charter and character schools.
On today's Wire, we have our usual Dear Science segment with AUT's Allan Blackman. We discuss water on Mars, 42,000 frozen worm and statistics and the Beatles.
For our weekly chat with the New Zealand First party, producer Harry talks toNZ First's deputy leader Fletcher Tabuteau.
Our producer Darashpreet looks into the upcoming primary school teachers' strike and speaks to Lynda Stuart, president of the New Zealand Educational Institute.
Dara also talks to Manurewa Labour MP Louisa Wall, who led a joint initiative with Countdown and the Salvation Army to tackle period poverty.
And host Lisa Boudet makes too many comments about how great bcasts are and all the wonders you will find there, and how you should check them out.
Controversial Canadian speakers Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux will be speaking in Auckland this Friday at an undisclosed location. The two have courted controversy over their views on Muslims, refugees, multiculturalism, and as of this week Aboriginal Australians. Earlier this month they were banned from speaking at Auckland Council venues. Their event was initially canceled but is now back on. A rally has now been organised for this Friday to protest Southern and Molyneux and their views who many label as being views of fascists and white supremacists. Sam Smith spoke to one of the organisers of the Rally Against Racism Tima Thurlow.
Mary-Margaret speaks to the National Secretary of the union ‘Unite’ about a kiwi activist who was attacked and detained in Israel yesterday while on his way to provide medical aid in Gaza. Sam speaks to Tima Thurlow about the planned rally against the two controversial Canadian speakers; Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern. In Conor’s international segment this week he’s looking into the Pakistan election. And this week on the Greendesk, Jack looks at tough new laws for gene-editing in the EU.
A new ruling by the European Union means gene-edited plants are now subject to the same tough laws which Genetic Modified products are subject to. Jack Marshall, our resident Greendesk producer talked to Professor Peter Dearden from the University of Otago’s Department of Biochemistry about GMO’s, GM’s, and other things starting with G!
This week in International News, Conor looks at the Pakistan election and their newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan. We examine the political conditions of Pakistan, explore some historical context, examine the challenges Khan faces and look back on how one of Pakistan's greatest ever cricketers rose to political leadership
New Zealand Union leader Mike Treen was attacked and unlawfully detained by the Israeli military yesterday morning. He and other international campaigners were aboard a ship, the Al Awda, filled with medicine that they were taking straight to Gaza. They had no plans to stop in Israel. Mike’s union, Unite, is calling on the New Zealand government to demand that Israeli authorities release him and the other campaigners. Mary-Margaret spoke to the union’s National Secretary, Gerard Hehir.
This week on the Monday Wire, Jemima spoke with Green Party co-leader James Shaw in studio about the Zero Carbon Bill and the Pacific Climate Summit in Fiji. Southern Cross returned with AUT Pacific Media Centre's Rahul Bhattarai and Professor David Robie who discussed the Freedom Flotilla, an Air Vanuatu flight making an emergency landing, Papua New Guinea land owners threating to close Komo airfield, New Caledonian independence from France and the Pacific Journalism Review. Damian spoke with Dr John Chaplin, a head and neck surgeon, about head and neck cancer and it's correlation with HPV. Bailley wrapped up with an interview with Jennifer Frost from Don't be Silent, faculty restructuring at the University of Auckland.
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
95bFM 
