Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Jessica Hopkins, Castor Chacko, Nicholas Lindstrom, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
MethaneSAT, a global initiative to track and reduce methane emissions, is launching today.
Although primarily funded by the US Environmental Defence Fund, the satellite is the first government funded space mission in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The US side of the project will focus on measuring and identifying methane leaks from oil and gas production, while scientists in New Zealand will use the satellite to study global emissions from agriculture.
Producer, Sofia Roger Williams, spoke to Spacecraft Mission Operations Director at Te Pūnaha Ātea, the Space Institute at the University of Auckland, Chris Jackson, about the launch, New Zealand’s role, and how the data gathered can help us make global and local recommendations to reduce methane emissions.
In our weekly interview with National’s James Meager, Wire host Castor began with last week’s announcement of the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora.
Te Aka Whai Ora, or the Māori Health Authority, was established to address several Māori health issues, including overrepresentation in the health system and underrepresentation in the workforce. Castor asked James about why it was disestablished and the replacements that the National party might offer.
Castor and James also talked about the smokefree legislation repeal, which was also introduced in the last few weeks. The repeal has been met with backlash from opposition parties and public protests, with many arguing it follows arguments from within the tobacco industry. The two discussed the repeal and these possible links, as well as National’s continual commitment to Smokefree 2025.
BCITO, or the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation, is calling for more Pasifika learners to start apprenticeships due to low qualification rates in the industry. The organisation is aiming to increase these rates through offering apprenticeships, and therefore create new opportunities further down the line.
Wire host Castor spoke to BCITO director Greg Durkin about the campaign and the benefits it offers to Pasifika tradies.
Yesterday Salient Magazine, the University of Victoria’s student magazine, released a statement discussing the revocation of Salient’s parliamentary press pass. Salient had held the press pass on behalf of the Aotearoa Student Press Association, or ASPA.
As such, revoking this pass for Salient affects student magazines across the country, including the University of Auckland’s Craccum magazine.
Wire host Castor spoke to one of Salient’s news co-editors, Ethan Rogacion, about the revocation and what it means for student journalism.
For Dear Science, Wire host Castor chatted with Dr Cushla McGoverin about tortoise migration in the Galápagos.
Then, for our weekly catch-up with National’s James Meager, he asked about the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora and the repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation.
He also spoke to the director of the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), Greg Durkin, about qualification rates among Pasifika tradies.
Finally, Castor spoke to news co-editor from the University of Victoria’s Salient magazine, Ethan Rogacion, about their recently revoked parliamentary press pass.
Producer Sofia spoke to honorary research fellow, Dr Gavin Ellis, from the University of Auckland’s think tank, Koi Tū, about the impending proposed closure of Newshub. News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins also spoke to Head of Journalism at Massey University, Associate Professor James Hollings, about this.
She also spoke to Spacecraft Mission Operations Director at the University of Auckland, Chris Jackson, about the launch of the satellite, MethaneSAT.
Last week, Warner Brothers Discovery announced a major downsizing of its operations in New Zealand, including a proposed closure of all platforms of the newsroom at Newshub at the end of June this year.
The closure would result in the loss of approximately 300 jobs across the company.
Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures, a think tank at the University of Auckland, is expediting the production of a media policy position paper which will set out factors to address to ensure the survival of journalism in Aotearoa.
Producer, Sofia Roger Williams, spoke to the leader of the project, honorary research fellow, Dr Gavin Ellis, about the impending proposed closure, concerns about the future of journalism in Aotearoa, and how he thinks we can ensure its survival.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, also spoke to Head of Journalism at Massey University, Associate Professor James Hollings about the closure of Newshub.
Following the government designating Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation last week, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to representatives of the Jewish and Palestinians communities here in Aotearoa about this decision.
First, she spoke to Justice for Palestine Co-Convenor, Samira Zaiton, about their calls for the government to condemn Israel for its actions in Gaza..
She also spoke to the Co-Founder of Alternative Jewish Voices, Mariyln Garson, about her reaction to the government’s decision and concerns about misinformation about what is happening in Gaza and the occupied West Bank being spread in New Zealand.
Please note, when Marliyn discusses Simon Court’s interview on 95bFM, she is referencing our interview with him which aired last week.
The government’s proposed gang patch bill has drawn significant attention as it progresses through the legislative process. If passed, the contentious policy would ban gang patches in public spaces and provide police with more powers to disperse the congregation of gang members.
Producer Ezra chatted to Associate Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Carrie Leonetti, about the legality and enforceability of this bill and potential discriminatory implications.
For our regular catch-up with ACT’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, discussed the government making weapons including semi-automatic rifles more widely available, and designating Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation.
She also spoke to Justice for Palestine Co-Convenor, Samira Zaiton, and Co-Founder of Alternative Jewish Voices, Marilyn Garson, about the government’s stance on Hamas and how the media has covered Israel’s war in Gaza.
Producer Ezra interviwed Associate Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Carrie Leonetti, about the government’s proposed gang patch ban.
Yesterday, Newshub, one of Aotearoa's largest commercial newsrooms, announced it is shutting down.
Up to three hundred people, including journalists and support staff, are expected to lose their jobs
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Senior Lecturer Communication Studies and Head of Journalism at AUT, Greg Treadwell, about what this indicates about the state of journalism in Aotearoa.
The coalition government has made changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, including allowing landlords to charge an additional bond of up to two weeks rent on top of the standard bond of up to four weeks, if a tenant wishes to have a pet on the property.
No-cause evictions have also been reintroduced, allowing landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason, provided they give them 90 days notice.
For our weekly interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about these changes.
Disability communities have been rallying against a surprise change in purchasing rules in the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha. Communities have said the changes will have massive impact, despite no consultation on these changes or a formal announcement.
The Department of Conversation also recently proposed staffing cuts to meet funding demands. DoC controls a third of Aotearoa’s landmass which is all conservation land. It remains uncertain how job losses in the Ministry could impact conservation land management.
For weekly catch-up with the Labour party Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour spokesperson for Disability Issues and Conservation Priyanca Rahdakrishnan about both of these issues.
For our weekly interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about the government’s proposal to increase student attendance rates and his post on X last week, in which he stated he stands with Israel.
A proposal to merge the Ōtara-Papatoetoe and Māngere-Ōtāhuhu local boards has been met with criticism, with consultation opening at the end of next month.
A new report has also been released on the quality of living in Tāmaki Makaurau with our city receiving mixed results by scoring high on some areas (the environment), and lower on others (education).
Wire Host Caeden speaks to Counsellor Lotu Fuli about both these topics for City Counselling.
The Ministry of Social Development is not immune to job cuts seen in other public service departments, with MSD calling for voluntary redundancies after cost-saving efforts failed to meet Government targets. For our weekly catch-up with Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni Wire Host Caeden asks her about the impact of cuts at MSD, especially amongst other Government policies disadvantaging beneficiaries.
They also ask about the Samoan Citizenship Bill led by Teanau Tuiono, and the impact of losing independent media giants such as Newshub for democracy.
For this week's Get Action! Sofia spoke to petitioner Abdul Safi and his campaign to place sanctions on Israel amidst genocidal acts that are widely considered war crimes.
If you want to sign this petition, you can find it here:
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