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.
Today, about 100,000 public sector employees are going on strike.
The action has been labelled as a “mega strike”, as it includes teachers, nurses and other public sector workers who are calling for better pay, staffing levels, and working conditions.
The government is strong against the strike, with Public Services Minister Judith Collins issuing an open letter, which she called the action “politically motivated.”
Rob Campbell, who has a background in trade unionism, business leadership, governance and public service, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, with his view on how the government should be responding to the strikes.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to Campbell about the strike and his letter.
October 13th is the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction with the United Nations.
The day focuses on the rising cost of disasters, as well as disaster risks, including the impact of climate change and development choices.
Fatma Özdoğan, PhD Candidate and Researcher at the University of Montreal, co-wrote an article on this topic, focused on the impact of how we talk about disasters, with Professor Ali Asgary of York University.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to Özdoğan for International Desk.
A new term for Tāmaki Makaurau’s city council is rolling out amidst sizeable public transport changes for the city. Namely, the restructuring of responsibility that transfers primary policy and planning powers to council and leaves transport delivery responsibilities to Auckland Transport.
It has also been announced that 4162 of the approximately 10,000 special votes in the recent Auckland election were deemed invalid due to outdated enrolment details, or missing and incorrect declarations on voting forms.
Producer Jasmine spoke to Councillor Fairey about her thoughts on the future of Auckland’s transport systems and policy in the coming years, and her concerns around disenfranchisement of local democracy in light of the large number of discounted votes.
Health Coalition Aotearoa is calling for a permanent fix to New Zealand’s School Lunch Programme.
The current contract is being delivered by provider ‘The School Lunch Collective’, after National axed the prior Ka Ako, Ka Ora programme model. This latest iteration of the school lunches programme has seen smaller meals, lower nutritional quality, and disengagement from community-based providers.
Currently, the funding for the government’s school lunch programme is due to end in late 2026, with no proposed initiatives in its place.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Dr. Kelly Garton about the inefficacies of the current contract, and the urgent need to invest in this support for our rangatahi.
On Monday this week, the Labour Party announced their first major policy ahead of next year’s general election, which is titled the “Future Fund”. Although Labour didn’t include many specifications about the policy, the aim is to invest in New Zealand businesses that are inventive and resourceful. They also announced the fund would begin with a $200 million investment.
In addition to this, the government made a decision to move ahead with its Roads of National Significance programme. The coalition announced that they’ve allocated $1.2 billion worth of funding to the programme, of which $550 million is being used to buy properties in order to move the project forward.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March, Wednesday Wire Host Max speaks to him about the Green Party’s stance on the Labour Party’s new policy, as well as the government’s decision to move forward with the Roads of National Significance programme.
But first, they discussed the upcoming mega strike from the unions.
For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez March about the mega strike happening tomorrow, the Labour Party releasing their first major policy ahead of next year’s general election, and the government moving forward with their Roads of National Significance programme.
Max also spoke with Paul Taillon, a senior lecturer in US History from the University of Auckland, to discuss the recent court win by United States President Donald Trump in his attempts to deploy the national guard in democratic cities.
Producer Manny spoke with Fleur Fitzsimons, the National Secretary of the Public Service Association, to discuss the upcoming mega strikes and why so many unions are facing the same problem.
And Producer Vihan spoke to the President of the New Zealand Association of Optometrists, Hadyn Treanor, and a couple of university students about the government’s proposed changes to the driver licence system, and what the reduction of eye exams needed for class one license holders means for the future of New Zealand drivers.
The government is looking to introduce a raft of reforms to the driver licence system, officially called the Graduated Driver Licensing System.
The government aims to make getting a full driver’s licence easier and cheaper for New Zealanders, which is why one of the proposed changes to the system includes scrapping the full licence test.
However, the government is also calling for reduced eye exams for class one licence holders, saying repeated eye exams don’t have any significant benefit on safety.
Producer Vihan spoke to the New Zealand Association of Optometrists (NZAO) President Hadyn Treanor about his views on the reduction of eye exams.
He also spoke to a couple of university students about the changes, and their thoughts on it.
Tomorrow, we are set to see what could be the largest strike in last 40 years, as seperate unions representing nurses, teachers and many more come together to put pressure on the government to take their negotiations seriously. In total, it'll likely be around 100,000 kiwis pushing for better working conditions.
Frequent in their demands are requests for better pay that has been eroded by the inflation of the past few years, as well as safer staffing levels, as many professionals vacate the New Zealand workforce for better working conditions in Australia, leaving our hospitals, schools, and workplaces understaffed.
To discuss the upcoming Mega-Strike, Wednesday Wire Producer Manny spoke with Fleur Fitzsimons, the Natioal Secretary of the Public Service Association.
Tāmaki Makaurau’s council budget is among those impacted by the proposal of a rates cap, considering Tāmaki’s average 5.8% annual rates increase across the 25/26 financial year.
Youth homelessness is a growing concern as discussions continue around “move on” orders for those without housing in Auckland’s CBD.
And the Skycity Convention Centre is set to open in 2026, with high hopes for what it may bring for Tāmaki Makaurau after its prolonged development.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Counsellor Fairey about these topics.
The Trump administration has caused issues of significant food waste due to a range of its policies, including immigration raids, tariffs, cuts to food assistance programmes, and the destruction of food for programmes like USAID.
This has had huge consequences, including environmental impacts, as well as impacts on the estimated more than 47 million people in the US who don’t have enough food to eat, and those who have relied on US foreign aid that has been cut.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Garrett Graddy-Lovelace, Provost Associate Professor in Environment, Development & Health at American University, about these issues.
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Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year.
For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.
From today until the 4th of December, a conference will be held in Queenstown that will look into pest management and how best to protect native species.
The event not only brings experts in the sector from Aotearoa, but will also involve Australian experts as well.
Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week’s conference, and what to expect.
The government has recently announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
The ‘shake-up’ of regional councils has left concerns that the move would water down environmental regulations at a local level, reduce Māori and iwi voices in decision making, and would result in central government overreaching into local politics.
As well as this, Parliament’s Justice Committee has recommended passing the Electoral Amendment Bill, albeit with some amendments
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with the changes to regional councils.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka announced the government’s release of the new social housing investment plan which aims to shift to a “needs-based, data driven approach”.
The new flexible fund includes $41 million dollars in operating funding over the next four years, and the government have stated they expect to support up to 770 social homes and affordable rentals in the initial phase.
As well, Health Minister Simeon Brown last week announced a Cabinet decision to stop new prescriptions for puberty blockers for young people identifying as trans or experiencing gender dysphoria.
The rule, in effect from 19th of December, is based on recommendations from a UK National Health Service review which determined that the evidence to the benefits or risks of the treatment was “remarkably weak”.
The government is expected to pause new prescriptions until the outcome of a clinical trial being conducted in the UK, expected to be completed in 2031.
Wire Host Sara spoke with MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, firstly by asking about the flexible fund which will replace the so-called ‘patchwork of programmes’ in place for social housing.
Christmas Lights at MOTAT - experience Auckland’s most magical Christmas lights - heritage trams, festive music, Santa visits, and thousands of sparkling lights Tickets at MOTAT.NZ.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
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