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.
Last week Justice for Palestine handed over a petition to Parliament calling for Aotearoa New Zealand to recognise the state of Palestine. This would bring us in line with over 150 other UN member states. Caeden had a kōrero with Kate Stone, Co-Director of Justice for Palestine, an organisation dedicated to advocating for Palestine, about the petition.
Caeden also spoke to Tameem Shaltoni, Palestinian New Zealander and descendent of Palestinian refugees on his perspective on this petition.
Last week Caeden spoke to academic Margaret Mutu about a statement the National Party made when ruling out working with Te Paati Māori. National leader Christopher Luxon implied Māori have a different standard of citizenship to Pākehā, and somehow get more votes.
Today Caeden spoke to Takatāpui activist, creative, and educator Quack Pirihi on what the impact of this racist rhetoric is in the communities they work in, what allies can do, and the next steps from here to push back against this. Here is that kōrero
On the 17th of May the Office of the Mayor of Auckland released a statement in response to backlash they received about their proposed cuts to arts funding.
In their statement they said that the Mayor supports reducing cuts to arts and social services despite not going into detail on what would change.
Nicholas spoke to Professor Peter O’Connor about the Mayor statement and the future of funding for the arts.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is facing an uncertain future after the recent election ended in a stalemate. With no candidate reaching the 50% required to govern, the country is going back to the polls on May 28th. In his 20 year rule, this is the closest Erdoğan has come to defeat. PHD Candidate at Australian National University Khalid Al Bostanji is an expert on Turkish foreign policy and he began by discussing how the run-off election came to be.
Starting on May 2nd, Jono Ridler swam 99.1km from Karaka Bay on Aotea Great Barrier Island to Campbell's Bay. He did the record-breaking swim to raise awareness for the Hauraki Gulf and the state that it is currently in. Simon began by asking Jono what inspired him to undertake the mammoth swim.
Spike speaks to Catherine Delahunty from West Papua Action Aotearoa about the current situation in the region, and their open letter to the Aotearoa government.
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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