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.
The Far North District Council has changed its Māori name to Te Hiku o te Ika ahead of Waitangi Day.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Far North Mayor Moko Tepania about this decision, and the significance of the name change to him and the Far North community.
Rosetta spoke to Chair of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa John Minto about recently announced aid for Palestinians in Gaza from the New Zealand Government, and media coverage of the situation in Gaza.
News and Editorial Director Jessica spoke to Far North Mayor Moko Tepania about the Far North Council’s Māori name change.
Rosetta also spoke to Forest and Bird General Manager of Conservation Advocacy Richard Capie about the government's plans for fast-tracking consent as part of reforms to the resource management process.
Finally, Rosetta spoke to Georgie Dansey, director at Etū union, about the rights of migrant workers in Aotearoa and what impact the reintroduction of 90-day trials for employers will have on this.
Last week, the government announced it would be removing funding for the cultural and background reports used in sentencing, as well as the Auckland regional fuel tax.
For our weekly catch-up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP James Meager about this.
She also asked Meager about his background in politics.
Caeden speaks to Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni about renewed calls to review how dating impacts benefits, and Tāmaki Makaurau a year on from the flooding.
They also speak to Tuhi-Ao Bailey (Taranaki, Te Atiawa, Ngati Mutunga) about Climate Justice Taranaki’s case at the Waitangi Tribunal.
And they speak to Executive Director of Greenpeace Russel Norman about the government’s environmental protection policies.
Beth speaks to Counsellor for Manukau, Lotu Fuli, about Wayne Brown’s ruling that all work on projects funded by the Regional Fuel Tax are to be stopped, following the scrapping of the tax by the National Party.
She also speaks to Head of Campaigns for Greenpeace Aotearoa, Amanda Larssen, about the Supreme Court’s ruling that Northland iwi leader Mike Smith (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) has the right to sue seven big polluters in Aotearoa New Zealand, including Fonterra.
Castor speaks to Lecturer of Emergency Management at Massey University’s Joint Center for Disaster Research, Doctor Lauren Vinnell about the term “one in one hundred year event.”
Human rights groups from Aotearoa, such as the Human Rights Commission, have been in Geneva ahead of the Universal Periodic Review of our progress on human rights issues.
Caeden spoke to Acting Chief Commissioner, Dr Karanina Sumeo, about Aotearoa's human rights issues and what the impacts of the review could be.
Oto speaks to Eru Kapa-Kingi from the University of Auckland, to talk about the next national hui in Heretaunga.
Nicholas speaks to Professor Lisa Te Moregna, co-hair of theHealth Coalition about the potential defunding of Ka Ora Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches Programme.
Sofia speaks to Nicki Wakefield Ngā Mahinga o Ngāti Kahu o Torongare about their current petition to protect sacred Onoke Pā
Oto also spoke Craig Renney, from the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, to talk about public service cuts and their impacts on the growing population.
Data from the Program for International Student Achievement shows a link between hunger and negative learning outcomes. Research on this was published on Monday, as the Government announced an end to the Labour-introduced free lunches in schools programme.
Caeden spoke to Health Coalition Aotearoa’s and Research Fellow at Te Pūkenga Dr Pippa McKelvie-Sebileau about this link and the removal of the programme.
They started by asking what the research published on Monday found.
This week the coalition government unveiled their new 36 point action plan.
The Green Party have been active critics of the new plan, with Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick calling the 36 point plan vague, immeasurable and untethered from reality and evidence.
Nicholas spoke to Greens MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Government’s action plan.
For our regular catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about Children's Minister Karen Chhour’s plans to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.
She also spoke to PhD Candidate in New Zealand Politics at the University of Otago, Michael Derek Swanson, about the recent demotions of former Broadcasting Minister Melissa Lee and Minister for Disability Issues, Penny Simmonds.
On the 3rd of July, submissions closed for the government’s Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, which would change the relationship between landlords and their tenants. The bill is aimed at addressing the current housing crisis and availability of rentals. Particularly, it does this by reintroducing the 90 day no-cause termination for periodic tenancies, which the government claims will allow landlords to take on tenants they perceive to be a risk.
The proposed changes have been criticised by renters rights advocates, who say the changes further tip the power imbalance between landlords and tenants. Particularly, tenants could experience terminations for little to no reason, sometimes with notice of as little as six weeks.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Sam Uffindell about the bill and how it could impact tenants, especially in the currently turbulent rental market.
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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