Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Castor Chacko, Sara Mckoy, Emmanuel Orange, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about the expulsions of two Te Pāti Māori MPs, concerns about police leadership, and Chris Hipkins ‘socialist’ label.
For International Desk, they spoke to Youth Environmentalist Sumaya Mohammed and Lead on the Youth Climate Justice Project Aoife Daly about youth participation at COP30.
For City Counselling, Producer Sanat talked to Councillor Shane Henderson about a proposed ban on Homelessness in the CBD and new committee appointments inside Auckland Council.
He also talked to Kiwisaver Provider Simplicity’s CEO Sam Stubbs about their new infrastructure proposal called Infrakiwi.
The infrastructure commission has identified that there is a $210 billion dollar infrastructure deficit in New Zealand. Unfortunately, due to the lack of available capital New Zealanders lose out on the advantages of high quality infrastructure and the wealth it can generate for the public good.
To respond to this Kiwisaver Manager Simplicity has created a new company called Infrakiwi. This company would be listed on the stock exchange and would only allow for New Zealanders to invest in it. This company would own and operate key infrastructure assets, generating long term risk adjusted returns and jobs for New Zealanders as well.
Thursday Wire Producer Sanat spoke to Simplicity’s CEO Sam Stubbs about this proposal and what it means for future generations of New Zealanders
Similar to how Prime Ministers choose who their cabinet members are, the Mayor last week announced his appointments for committees in Auckland Council.
Committees are powerful pieces of the Auckland Council machine, determining the direction on key policy issues around community assets, budgeting, transport and housing.
Notably different to his approach last term, the Mayor has opted to appoint key allies to committee chair roles. These are councilors who have had a good working relationship with the mayor over the last three years and will mean that there are less roadblocks when it comes to advancing his agenda.
At the same time the Mayor and Central Government are responding to increased complaints about anti-social behaviour in the CBD by considering laws and bylaws that would ban homelessness.
Critics of this policy note that such laws would not address the key drivers to poverty and housing need and would simply endanger those individuals experiencing homelessness further.
Thursday Wire Producer Sanat talked to Councilor Shane Henderson today about these committee appointments and this proposed ban on homelessness.
In an article on Newsroom, John Morgan, Head of the School Critical Studies and Education at the University of Auckland, discusses his belief that we are seeing a collapse in the country’s curriculum accord.
This comes as the government has announced a plethora of changes to the country’s curriculum heading forward.
News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Morgan about the history of the curriculum accords in the country and why we are seeing changes in this space.
During an interview with the ‘Morning Report’, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed that orders for the homeless in Auckland’s CBD to move on were “definitely a consideration”. He later stated, that “Aucklanders don’t feel safe going into the central city”, and both Central government and Auckland Council are considering how they can move homeless people out of the CBD ahead of summer.
This follows previous reports that the Government was considering a rough sleeping ban for central Auckland.
This news comes as Stats NZ released their annual unemployment figures this week. The results show that national unemployment has risen to a nine-year high at 5.3%, with the New Zealand youth taking most of the damage.
For our weekly catchup with The Green Party, Wednesday Wire Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March, to discuss the new unemployment figures released last week. They also spoke about the Government’s new action plan to combat methamphetamine use.
But first, they discussed what The Green Party thought about the Government’s plan to decrease homelessness in the Auckland CBD
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about government ministers announcing they are considering banning rough sleeping in Auckland’s CBD, recent unemployment figures, and the government’s action plan to combat meth usage.
For this week's Get Action, Producer Manny spoke to JT from Touch Compass on their petition to Say YES to “Access” #YesToAccessNZ | Words shape world on their petition to replace inclusion with access.
Manny spoke with Jason Mika, Professor of Māori Management at the University of Auckland, about the ructions within Te Pāti Māori.
And News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with Professor John Morgan, The Head of the School Critical Studies and Education at the University of Auckland, about his article on Newsroom his belief that the country is seeing a collapse of the second curriculum accord.
Recent tensions within Te Pāti Māori, which exploded into the light last month, have culminated in the expulsion of two rogue MPs: Mariameno Kapa-Kingi of Te Tai Tokerau and Tākuta Ferris of Te Tai Tonga.
Despite this, much remains unresolved, and controversy lingers over the preceding actions, the manner in which they were communicated online, and how the expulsion was handled by the party leadership.
Wednesday Wire Producer Manny spoke with Jason Mika, Professor of Māori Management at the University of Auckland, to get his perspective on the expulsions.
The government has been considering a ban on homeless people rough sleeping in central Auckland after dark.
Spokespeople from homelessness and poverty action groups have criticised the proposal for not effectively addressing the root causes of the crisis.
Producer Faith spoke to Aaron Hendry from the youth homelessness organisation Kick Back Make Change about the consideration, and its potential consequences
Last month, Professors James Renwick, Simon Hales, Rebecca Priestley and Alistair Woodward produced a briefing calling for urgent action on New Zealand’s climate policies, given the vast direct and indirect impacts of climate change on human health.
For Green World this week, Wire Host Sara spoke with Victoria University of Wellington Professor James Renwick, from the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, about their report, going into depth about the health consequences of climate inaction
arlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum that made international headlines.
The speech was focused on the future of global politics in the face of a world increasingly shaped by threats and hard power, and the need for “middle power” states to cooperate.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Stewart Prest, Lecturer in Political Science at the University of British Columbia, about Mark Carney’s speech.
Last week, following weather warnings and torrential rain, slips across the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty wreaked havoc, cutting off communities, damaging houses, and worst of all, taking lives.
At the base of Mauoa, Mount Maunganui, a slip hit a council-owned campsite, claiming six lives and now eyes are turning towards how a tragedy like this could be prevented in future.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was among the world leaders offered membership on Trump's post conflict government body, the board of peace. The board has received scathing criticism for including people under investigation for war crimes and failing to have a representative voice for the Palestinian people. Luxon has, in turn, received criticism for not ruling out the invitation.
Finally, the New Zealand Defence Force has begun to incorporate uncrewed vehicles and drones as it moves into a new era of increased defence spending
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wire host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about Luxons refusal to rule out joining Trump’s board of peace, and the New Zealand Defence Forces incorporation of drones but began with asking him about the fatal slip in Tauranga,
As New Zealanders across the motu witness the fallout of extreme weather including landslips and flooding, climate experts reiterate the importance of connecting these events to a wider trend of increased frequency and intensity climate events.
In particular, experts including Dr Kevin Trenberth and Sustainability lecturer Sasha Maher say that New Zealand’s existing infrastructure needs to be upgraded to account for how future natural disasters and climate events will impact Aotearoa.
For Green World this week, Wire host Sara spoke to both of these experts about the challenges New Zealand will face on this issue.
First, Sara spoke to University of Auckland affiliated climate scientist Dr Kevin Trenberth about the drivers of extreme weather conditions, starting by asking how they reflect a larger pattern of temperature change.
Next, Sara spoke to University of Auckland lecturer Sasha Maher about the political response to these observable climate impacts.
Last week's landslide at Mount Maunganui has had severe consequences on people and the environment. Producer Vihan spoke to National MP Ryan Hamilton about the landslide and the government's response to it, as well as it's response to climate change, in general.
Tāmaki was hit with severe heavy rain warnings in recent days, with extreme weather and states of emergency declared around the motu. These heightened caution around risks of flooding in areas affected by 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods.
Last week, there were changes to national laws that now allow ‘granny flats’ to be built on properties without the need to obtain resource consent.
And stripping of marine life from rock pools around Whangaparāoa has raised discussion of shellfish protections, but not without increasing racial tensions in community discourse.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about how these topics impact Tāmaki Makaurau.
As a part of their energy policy, the current national-led government has reopened the door to offshore oil and gas exploration and mining after it was banned under the previous government. Last week, we saw reports of the first bid under the scheme, a sign of further oil and gas projects.
Alongside this the government has put through legislation increasing the maximum amount energy companies can be fined by three times, they say, to increase accountability.
Finally, rumours swirl that the central government is about to step in to override the rezoning plan crafted by the Auckland Council once again, as the groups protest the plan enabling higher-rise buildings around transport hubs.
For this week's Weekly Catch-up with the Green Party, Wire Producer Manny spoke to MP Recardo Menendez March about the expansion of fines on energy companies and the central government's intervention in Auckland Council's zoning plans. But first we discussed the first bid in offshore oil and gas.
The survey provides world-first substantial evidence of how unaffordable clean fuel supply can generate severe risks for health and climate in these communities.
Co-author Professor Hari Vuthaluru from Curtin's Western Australian School of Mines said toxic emissions, health issues and food contamination were among the consequences of this practice.
Wire Host Sara spoke to Vuthaluru further about the study in light of the environmental consequences.
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