Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Castor Chacko, Oto Sequeira, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
The recession has caused the tourism industry to face many challenges, such as decreased visitor numbers. However, the industry is slowly bouncing back, with Labour’s Better Work Action Plan providing eighteen point two million dollars to the industry.
Olivia spoke to Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Chief Executive Rebecca Ingram about the state of the tourism industry, and their plans for improvement.
Last week, the University of Auckland held its annual Three Minute Thesis competition.
Mahdhi spoke with the winner of the competition and University of Auckland biologist Cam Hoffbeck about her research into the unique gut microbiome of Tuatara and its implications for the species future against the context of a changing climate.
News and Editorial Jessica Hopkins spoke to New Zealand Council of Trade Unions President Richard Wagstaff, Child Poverty Action Group’s Alan Johnson, economist Brad Olsen, and Senior Taxation Lecturer at AUT Ranjana Gupta about addressing the cost of living crisis.
Milly spoke to the Co-Director of the Public Health Communication Centre and Professor in Public Health at the University of Otago Nick Wilson about new research which found that political parties tend to be short-sighted in their policies when it comes to global catastrophic risks.
Mahdhi chatted to biologist and winner of the University of Auckland’s Three Minute Thesis competition Cam Hoffbleck about her research into the unique gut microbiome of Tuatara.
Arno spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March about wealth inequality, the Green’s economic policies, and a proposed wealth tax to provide free universal dental care.
Nicholas spoke with New Zealand Student’s Association’s National President Ellen Dixon about what a universal Study Wage would look like and the potential economic realities surrounding its implementation.
Research from Allianz has shown that young people and students are feeling the worst effects of the cost of living crisis.
Recently there has been a push to implement a universal study wage, spearheaded by the student associations of Otago and Victoria Universities, with support from the New Zealand Union of Students’ Association .
Nicholas spoke with New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations National President Ellen Dixon about the potential benefits and costs of a universal study wage, as well as political support for the idea.
This week on the Wire Lou spoke to Emma Willis, associate professor of Drama at the University of Auckland, about the importance of theatre education funding.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, the team are joined in studio by Davide Mercadante to speak all things science, Milly speaks to Adele Gautier from the Breast Cancer Foundation about Nationals latest cancer treatment announcement, Milly has her weekly catchup with Dr Shane Reti talking about cancer treatment funding, GST off fruit and vegetables and banning phones in schools nationwide, Lou also speaks to Emma Willis associate professor of Drama at the University of Auckland about theatre education funding.
In her weekly catch up with the National Party's Dr Shane Reti, Milly speaks to him about Nationals propsal to ban phones in schools nationwide, how the National Party views Labour's decision to remove GST from fruit and vegetables, as well as discussing in depth National's most recent health announcement with the decision to fund 13 Cancer Treatment Drugs if elected.
This week on the Tuesday Wire Milly speaks to Adele Gautier from the Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand on how the organisation feels about National's decision to fund 13 new cancer treatments, none of which include any of the 14 available Breat Cancer Treatments.
As part of 95bfm's election coverage on the local economy this week, Hanna spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about the party's economic policies.
Te Pāti Māori is campaigning on raising incomes, focusing on the lower end of the income spectrum. They plan to do this by raising the minimum wage, legislating for yearly increases to the minimum wage, universalising student allowance, supporting pay equity for Māori nurses and teachers, and supporting trade unions. Hanna spoke to Takutai about these policies, including whether they would push up costs and addressing Aotearoa's low-wage economy.
The party is also seeking to remove GST from kai. While the party has long campaigned on this policy, Labour introduced a similar policy two weeks ago to remove GST from fruit and vegetables. Hanna and Takutai discussed the differences between these two policies, namely administrative simplicity and paternalism, and responded to economists' critiques of such policies.
The Healthcare exec Brian Thompson was shot dead by a masked assailant last week.
The crime has gained significant controversy and attention online, with many using it to restart the debate on the inequities of the United States healthcare system.
And this week Yale University was the latest college to commit to divesting from weapons manufacturing after a student vote.
For State of the States this week Wire Host Caeden speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about both of these topics.
The government as announced their plan for the Cook Strait ferry a year after they scrapped Labour’s plan, including cancelling the ferries the Labour government had ordered.
And a new report from the Ministry of Social Development has revealed nearly a quarter of beneficiaries are not receiving their correct entitlements.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
For City Counselling this week, producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Shane Henderson about proposed time-of-use charging to solve congestion problems in Tāmaki and Council selling their remaining Auckland Airport shares last week.
The Green party recently released He Ara Anamata - the Green party’s emissions reduction plan.
The document covers more than 10 areas of the economy and energy Sector that a Greens-led government would be looking to adapt to minimise carbon emissions and protect the natural landscapes of Aotearoa.
It also comes 5 months after the government released their own draft emissions plan. Numerous experts pointed out that the government is behind on their own plan’s targets to meet the crucial emissions budget for 2031-2035.
For their weekly catchup, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss the party’s new emissions reduction plan and how they would address climate and the economy in a greens-led government.
Last election, one of the National Party’s main campaign promises was to be ‘tough on crime’, promising to increase police coverage and penalties for crimes. A target was set to increase the number of police officers by 500 by November 2025, however some police leaders today say this goal is unrealistic.
The government also announced this week some shakeups to insulation standards, which they say should make houses more affordable.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor spoke to him about police staffing targets and new insulation standards.
This week on Dear Science, our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about what latrines teach us about people, climate variation affecting Chinese dynasties, and invasive species becoming threatened.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
Last week it was revealed that two of the ten participants in the government's pilot bootcamp programme were on the run.
The youth were two months into the community rehabilitation phase of the programme, following the three month youth justice residence phase. Both teens were found in the weekend, but had allegedly reoffended, and are now set to come before the court.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, who have been heavily advocating for this programme, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about this incident.
She also talks to him about proposed changes to employment law which would give employers the power to dismiss workers earning over $180,000 without the employee refuting the decision.
And finally, she talks to him about David Seymour’s incumbent run as Deputy Prime Minister, which is set to begin in May of next year.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about changes to Auckland Transport’s responsibilities, nationwide bus and train fare hikes, and concerns over the opening of the City Rail Link.
For State of the States this week, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Andre Fa'aoso from the Yale Daily News about President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, who was due to be sentenced next week for three felony charges.
They also discuss Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director, who is the latest in a long list of unorthodox picks for government positions from Trump
95bFM 
