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.
Auckland Lives two bee colonies have died. The hives were found after a routine inspection a fortnight ago. The cause of death is believed to be death by poisoning due to insecticide spraying. Prior to the tragedy, the two hives had a combined bee population of around 30,000 which last summer produced a whopping 75kg of honey. Reporter Sam Smith spoke to "For the Love of Bees" member Sarah Smuts-Kennedy about the deaths.
The Labour party has announced new workplace policies ahead of this year's general election. Among them were Fair Pay Agreements (FPA), which would see workers and employers in a given industry agree on a national standards for conditions.
To get both sides of the story, producer Ben speaks with Chief Executive of Business New Zealand, Kirk Hope, as well as industry co-ordinator for E Tu, Jill Ovens.
The Opportunities Party says the current legal approach to cannabis does more harm than actually smoking it, with the government dealing with it through the courts, police and forcing people to interact with gangs. Producer Reuben McLaren spoke to Geoff Simmons, the deputy leader of The Opportunities Party about their proposed cannabis policy.
On the show today we have producer Ben Goldson speaking with Business New Zealand Chief Executive Kirk Hope and E Tu Industry Co-ordinator Jill Ovens about Labour's Fair Pay Agreements. We have AUT Pacific Media Centre Director David Robie live in studio for all the latest in Pacific News for Southern Cross. We also have Green Party co-leader James Shaw live talking about the Green Party's campaign launch, CCAPP, and his comments on immigration. We talk to Yi Wen Hsia, the exhibitions manager and curator for World Press Photo. And finally, producer Reuben McLaren talks to Geoff Simmons of The Opportunities Party about their cannabis reform policy.
The World Press Photo Exhibition is currently on at Smith and Caughey’s in Auckland. Wire host Amanda Jane Robinson speaks with the curator of this year’s exhibition, Yi Wen Hsia, about the photographs and the show.
Today has marked one year since Rodrigo Duterte came to power as President of the Philippines.In that time thousands of people have been killed in his “War on Drugs” because Duterte had explicitly approved this violence and has led to extrajudicial executions, during the government’s anti-drug campaign. He introduced martial law and the Senate has been asked to consider reinstating the death penalty. Tess spoke to Amnesty International’s campaigner Wilnor Papa about human rights impacts and needs.
Community groups from across Aotearoa are working together to get rid of plastic as part of the global Plastic Free July movement. 95bFM reporter, Kristie, spoke to Rowan about the movement.
The ways in which Maori deal with palliative care, or known as end of life care, has many cultural and economic differences, I began by asking why this research was important to wider New Zealand.
This week, Tess and Jack chat with National MP Jami-Lee Ross this week about Peter Thiel and Labours employment plan, chats to Rowan Brookes from The Kiwi Bottle Drive about the new bottle initiative. Tess chats to Wilnor Papa from Amnesty International about Duterte, the Philippine president after it’s been a year since he was first elected. 95bFM reporter Jack Marshall talks with Dr Tess Moeke-Maxwell to about her study into Maori forms of palliative healthcare. And of course we have our weekly chat with Radio Adelaide with Jordan for all the latest in Australia news. All this on the Friday Wire - check out the podcast here.
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 
