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.
This week on Friday's wire, we speak to former 95bFM reporter Jack Riddell live from London about the running poll on the UK election. As usual we have our weekly political chat with National MP, this week we spoke to Matt Doocey who was filling in for Jami Lee Ross this week. We also have Neighbourhood Watch for all the latest in Australian news. And we have 95bFM reporter, Adam Jacobson speaking to AUT Communications professor, Thomas Owen about his research. Lastly we also have producer Jack Marshall's chat with Deputy Mayor, Paul Eagle about their new housing initative. All this and more on this weeks podcast for The Wire.
Wire host, Tess Barnett, chats to former 95bFM reporter, Jack Riddell live from London during the tense time while the UK election polls were being counted. They chat about how the polls were looking and their predicted outcome.
95bFM reporter, Adam Jacobson, spoke to Aut communication professor Thomas Owen who is on sabbatical in the Yukon Canada doing research on the native people and how self governance has affected their schooling system. Check out the full report here.
The Government has cut funding for the Auckland Women's Centre, which helps support women and their families in need by promoting healthy parenting. In response to these cuts, the centre has called for the Government to create a womens fund to support Kiwi women. Producer Lucy Austin spoke with the centre's spokesperson Leonie Morris to find out more, starting with the question of what the most significant implications of these cuts would be.
Act Leader David Seymour is calling for the Government to fund intraoperative radiotherapy treatment for public sector breast cancer patients. I.O.R.T is a form of radiation which is applied directly after the removal of a lump, rather than over a five-week period, which makes up the current treatment scheme. 95bFM reporter Katie Doyle caught up with David earlier this week to learn more.
This week, Jogai, Harry, and Lucy chat to Leonie Morris to learn more about the Government cutting funding for the Auckland Women's Centre, and Harry has a report on fake news! bFM reporter Katie Doyle catches up with David Seymour to chat about his new proposal for the Government to fund intraoperative radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer patients. Our weekly Thursday feature State of the States has returned - this week Harry chats to Nick about James Comey's upcoming testimony to the US Senate Intelligence Comittee, and Andrew Little is back for our weekly chat. All this and more on the Thursday Wire - check out the full podcast here.
One of the country's most pristine water sources is in line for the highest level of environmental protection to preserve its crystal clear waters. Announced earlier this week by the Minister for the Environment, Nick Smith, the Te Waikoropupū Springs application for a Water Conservation Order has been accepted. 95bFM producer Adam Jacobson speaks to Nick Smith and the Green’s water spokesperson, Catherine Delahunty about the move.
A joint agreement between the Auckland City Council and the Government has been reached today regarding a Smarter Transport Pricing project for Auckland City. Announced this morning, the two bodies will embark on an ambitious plan to reduce the demand and ease congestion across Auckland’s roading infrastructure. One method the project will explore will be a potential congestion tax applied to road users. 95bFM producer Adam Jacobson speaks with Greater Auckland Editor Matthew Lowrie for his thoughts on what a city-wide congestion might mean for Auckland.
Today on the Wednesday show, Ximena, Adam & Will look into a number of different government announcements, including the plan to investigate a city-wide congestion tax for Auckland, as well as the acceptance of Te Waikoropupū Springs application for a Water Conservation Order. AUT’s Allan Blackman stops by for Dear Science to chat about some dodgy dealings in academia, and Ximena grills NZ First’s Tracey Martin about Winston Peters’ response in Parliament yesterday to the London terror attacks.
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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