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.
On today's wire we hear about the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Alan Blackman joins us again and explains thermonuclear bombs, gene editing, and the possible correlation between sex and weed smoking.
NZ First's Tracey Martin talks to us for the last time in the forseeable future about the new coalition government and some of the new policies that have been announced.
Finally we hear from Amnesty International who are on the Manus Island detention centre that was closed yesterday.
The imminent closure of Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island detention centre has many worried for the safety of hundreds of refugees refusing to leave. We speak to Dr Anna Powles from Massey University's Centre for Defence and Security Studies and refugee adovocate Tracey Barnett.
Written by Katori Hall, The Mountaintop is a historical imagining of Martin Luther King’s final night, before he was assassinated on April 4th, 1968.
A version of the play. directed by Fasitua Amosa, is being performed in New Zealand for the first time by Pasifika theatre movement FCC, and opens at The Basement theatre tonight.
We speak to Nicole Whippy who plays Camae, a maid who meets Martin Luther King (David Fane) at the Lorraine Motel.
Analysing thousands of New Zealand newspaper articles published over a forty year period, criminologist Angela Barton found several trends present in the way rape was reported on, that often contradicted the realities of the victims’ situation. We speak to her about the research, which forms part of a larger project analysing the perpetuation of rape culture.
Saturday marked the first ever official commemoration of the New Zealand Wars. The New Zealand Wars were a series of battles that took place in the 19th century between Government troops and Maori. Lives were lost on both sides, communities terrorized, while land was confiscated in what was a defining time in this country’s short history. Commemorations to mark the wars were held around the country with gatherings taking place at some of the key sites of the battles. Sam Smith spoke to Auckland University historian Dr. Aroha Harris about the commemorations and why it is important that we remember this time of our history.
Last week the outcome of the long-running Eminem vs the National party copyright case was announced with the judge awarding the American rapper’s publishing company $600,000 after ruling that the political party violated the rapper’s copyright for his hit song Lose Yourself. The track in question was called Eminem Esque, which was purchased by the party from music production company Beatbox for their 2014 election campaign ad. The judge ruled the song was significantly similar to Lose Yourself, enough to see National penalized. Sam Smith spoke to Auckland University musicologist Kirsten Zemke who gave evidence on behalf of National in the case about the outcome and what this means for music copyright.
Joel and producer Sam Smith took on The Wire for October 30th. Sam talked to Auckland University senior lecturer Dr Aroha Harris about the first annual commemoration of the NZ wars. Joel chatted to Green Party leader James Shaw about party donations as well as a call for action on the Manus Island detention centre.For the Pacific News segment, Southern Cross, Joel talked with AUT Pacific Media Centre’s Kendall Hutt and PhD Student Stephanie Tapungu about the prevalence of gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea. Producer Sam Smith also talked to Auckland University Musicologist Kirsten Zemke about the outcome of the National Party Eminem copyright case, and what it means for copyright law.
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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