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.
Conor speaks with Georgia Chevoux, Campaign Supervisor for the New Zealand Nurses Organisation about the Health workers rally’s taking place this week
Producer Conor Knell has an interview with opposition spokesperson for health Michael woodhouse about dhb deficits.
Today on the Green Desk, Producer Jack Marshall talks to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden about coral.
Leonard talks to James Blackwood from Bags Not NZ, about single use plastic bags, what they are doing to minimise their usage and how everyone can play their part.
Conor speaks with Associate Professor Rebecca Campbell from the University of Otago about pretty exciting findings into Polycistic Ovary Syndrome research.
Finally we discuss public transport, Leonard got out and about with his phone and got peoples' opinions on public transport in the city.
Auckland Mayor Phill Goff’s proposed a 10c levy on every litre of petrol to pay for significant changes to transport has been backed by Labour. The first reading of the regional fuel tax bill happened in Parliament at the end of March, and it will now move to a select committee. Mary-Margaret talked to councillor Richard Hills about what this tax will do for our transport system, and where Mayor Goff’s goal for a fuel tax came from.
Reuben McLaren speaks to newly elected Green Party co-lear Marama Davidson about what her leadership will mean for the party, how the Greens will hold the government to account and what is to be made from Immigration New Zealand’s alleged racial profiling.
Lucy Austin finds out about New Zealand's prospects with Brexit on the horizon and what it could mean for trade and our economy. She has a chat to trade, finance and economic development minister David Parker.
It’s Wire Worry Week and we’re focussing on public transport. Mary-Margaret speaks to Auckland Councillor Richard Hills about the regional fuel tax and what it will do for the transport system.
Lastly, we have The Southern Cross with Jean Bell in studio where we’ll get a run down on the big stories from the Asia pacific Region.
Reuben McLaren has a chat to the new Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson about what her leadership will mean for the party, how the Greens will hold the government to account and what is to be made from Immigration New Zealand’s alleged racial profiling.
Producer Will Parsonson talks to director of Auckland secondary school center Sharon Fernee about the increasing issues being faced by Activity schools in regards to mental health issues. The schools act as a place where students who are seen to be at risk or have learning difficulties can go to get more support, but as Fernee says, the support being supplied is becoming hard to undertake.
Kelly chatted to Duncan Greive, founder and managing editor of The Spinoff, about the progression of his crowdfunding campaign to support longform investigative journalism in new Zealand. He tells us why this kind of journalism is of critical importance.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights released their concluding observations on the rights of New Zealanders. In it, they recommend legislative change that incorporates more rights and focusing on ensuring the BORA and Treaty of Waitangi are considered more in legislation. Lachlan spoke with Edwina Hughes from Peace Movement Aotearoa about the report.
Andrew Little joins Lachlan for their weekly chat where they discuss Chris Finlayson's bill that would allow judges greater protection, bail law, and his view on Aotearoa becoming a republic.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently said she believes Aotearoa will become a republic in her lifetime. However, when John Key was Prime Minister he said it was unlikely this would happen. Lachlan spoke with Savage from New Zealand Republic about the chances of it happening, and what form it would take.
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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