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.
This year ConsumerNZ launched a campaign to rid our Supermarket shelves from “Dodgy Specials”.
The campaign asked for examples of misleading pricing in our supermarket aisles.
The Labour Government has just announced new regulations around Unit Pricing that could help combat these “Dodgy Specials”
The regulations mean that all similar products will have to be displayed with a consistent unit price, making it easier to distinguish which products are cheaper by unit.
Nicholas spoke to Consumer NZ’s Jessica Walker about these new regulations, as well at ConsumerNZ’s campaign to rid New Zealand’s supermarket of quote “Dodgy Supermarket Specials”
In the upcoming election there have been many discussions on all sides in regard to tax policy. A Newshub-Reid research poll in May found that a majority of Kiwi’s support implementing a wealth tax, although Labour, National and ACT have been reluctant to touch the subject with Labour still making no major tax reform announcements in the run-up to the election.
Union’s in Tamaki Makaurau have become vocal and have organised a protest advocating for tax reform targeted at New Zealand’s wealthiest. To talk more about the protest that is happening next week, Andre Fa'aoso spoke to protest organiser with Unite Union Joe Carolan.
A recent report called ‘State of the City’ examines Auckland City in a global context, comparing it to developed cities in other countries. The report draws both comparisons and highlights potential areas of improvement.
The report was commissioned by the Committee for Auckland, in partnership with Deloitte and Auckland Council’s economic and cultural agency Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.
Arno spoke with Greater Auckland editor Matt Lowrie to find out more about the findings in the report. Arno started by asking how Matt viewed Auckland prior to reading the report.
Recent drugs misrepresented as pure MDMA have caused hospitalizations in the Hawke’s Bay region, with four men admitted and two in critical condition.
Arno spoke to the NZ Drug Foundation’s executive director Sarah Helm to find out more. Arno started the interview by asking what the MDMA was laced with.
Last week, Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono placed his Restoring Citizenship Removed by the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act of 1982 Bill in the parliamentary ballot. Rosetta had a chat to him about what the bill means for our Pasifika community, and what more needs to be done to amend dawn-raid injustices.
The National Party is yet to announce a full Fiscal Plan to account for spending they have promised if they win the election. Figures released by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions have shown a large gap between National's promised spending and the available budget, and workers unions such as Etū are fearing that funding cuts are in store for essential sectors. Rosetta spoke to Rachel Mackintosh, assistant national secretary for Etū, about these fears, and where this leaves working-class voters in the upcoming election.
Spike speaks to ACT's Karen Chhour about the party's new 2 rate tax policy along with the Green Party's free dental care policy, and 95bFM's Water Reporter Marnie Prickett on the new freshwater farm policy rollout, and the pushback it's receiving from farmers and agriculture industry groups.
Hanna speaks to Te Pāti Māori candidate Takutai Kemp about the party's proposed tax reforms and policy going into October's election.
Caeden speaks to Urs Signer from Climate Justice Taranaki about their petition to stop oil and gas drilling in Taranaki.
Andre speaks to Otago professor Janet Hoak about the new WHO report on Aotearoa's "world leading" tobacco reduction policy, and the future of Smokefree 2025.
3,000 people have signed a petition calling for the government to stop handing out oil and gas permits for onshore drilling in Taranaki.
The government is still handing out block offers on the 1565.5 km² onshore Taranaki land which allows drilling.
Caeden spoke to Urs Signer, member of Climate Justice Taranaki, on the support for the ban, the impact of drilling on communities in Taranaki, and why a ban is so important in the context of the current climate crisis.
Te Pāti Māori have announced their tax policy for the election, seeking to modify income tax brackets to reduce the tax burden on low- and middle-income whānau, introduce a wealth tax, raise the company tax rate, introduce a land banking and vacant house tax, and crack down on tax evasion.
Hanna spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about the proposed reforms, the social policies they could fund, enforcement, the critique that progressive tax reform would hurt the economy, and coalition negotiations when Labour is ruling out new taxes.
Negotiations with the International Seabed Authority recently came to a close, resulting in the failure of deep sea mining companies to get a green light to begin plundering the ocean.
Today Beth speaks to a member of the Green Party and Fisheries Spokesperson, Eugenie Sage, about deep sea mining in Aotearoa, and what needs to happen to protect our oceans.
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
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