Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Castor Chacko, Alex Fox, 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.
Last week the government finally launched their Youth Offender Military Academies, more commonly known as ‘boot camps’.
Since their announcement, the idea of the camps has caused a lot of concern surrounding their effectiveness and treatment of youth.
The first camp has taken in 10 youth, nine of which are Māori.
In Aotearoa’s history as well as globally, there is repeated evidence that a tough approach to boot camps hasn’t been effective in lowering youth crime, or rehabilitating the youth involved.
On top of this, the release of the royal commission of inquiry into abuse in state care last week has amplified concerns that these boot camps may contribute to a cycle of abuse, particularly for Māori youth.
Producer Evie spoke to lecturer in counselling, human services and social work at the University of Auckland Kendra Cox about what these boot camps may look like, and the potential impact they’ll have on Māori youth.
On Friday producer Evie also talked to criminology lecturer at the University of Auckland Emmy Rakete, who is Ngāpuhi, about her concerns surrounding the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki act.
We also talked about the Ngāpuhi hikoi taking place today in opposition to the act, and what they believe the government should be doing next.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party's Simon Court, Producer Evie speaks to him about the proposed repeal of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.
She also speaks to Criminology Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Emmy Rākete (Ngāpuhi) about her concerns surrounding the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki act, about the Ngāpuhi hīkoi taking place in opposition of the act.
She also spoke with Lecturer in Counselling, Human Services and Social Work at the University of Auckland Kendra Cox, about the government’s youth offender boot camps that kicked off last week, and her concerns on how this will affect rangatahi Māori and their mental health.
News and Editorial Director and Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Palestine Solidarity Network Aoteaora National Chair, John Minto, about the 24 pro-Palestinian protests at occured across Aotearoa over the weekend.
And they spoke to PhD Candidate in Environmental Sciences at the University of Auckland, Nargiss Taleb, about experts calling for stricter standards surrounding compostable products.
Last year, the University of Auckland conducted a study into how compostable products affect soil health, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Environments.
THREE new reports have been published about the findings, which advocate for better regulations around these products.
Wire Host Joel spoke to PhD Candidate in Environmental Sciences at the University of Auckland, Nargiss Taleb, about the fundings of the study, and what this means for soil quality.
Last week the government released the findings of the inquiry into abuse in care that was established in 2018. This inquiry was established to investigate abuse in faith and state-based care from 1950 to 1999. Māori, Pacific, and Disabled rangatahi were all overrepresented in this report.
Now people are asking what to expect next when there is evidence abuse in state care remains ongoing, and while the government has promised an official apology and redress scheme.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to the University of Auckland’s Stephen Winter about the report, how it compares to international standards, and what we can expect to come next as a result of the report.
Students in Bangladesh have been protesting against the reinstatement of the quota allocation for government jobs. These quota allocations are for relatives of veterans from the country’s war of independence from Pakistan.
The protests began when students at Dhaka University peacefully held placards and flags against the quota allocation but escalated after they were violently attacked by individuals associated with the ruling political party and police.
Since then 200 people have been killed and another 10,000 people detained.
The protests have now turned into students and other people protesting against the ongoing killings, arrests, attacks and disappearances.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to Fiasol Miah from the Bangladesh skilled migrants association of New Zealand about these protests.
The health system in Aotearoa has experienced issues of overcrowding and underfunding since before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. While the current government campaigned last year on increasing funding to the health sector, most of this funding went to Pharmac and providing new cancer drugs.
Despite staff shortages in the health sector, the government has continually criticised what they claim is an overspend and poor budgeting. The new health commissioner, Lester Levy, went as far to describe the system as ‘bloated’, with similar criticisms from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in his descriptions of ‘fourteen layers of bureaucracy.’
Tuesday Wire host Castor spoke to the executive director of the association of salaried medical specialists, Sarah Dalton, about staffing issues in the health sector and how the government can address them.
Wable, a social media networking app inspired by the television series ‘Love on the Spectrum,’ which has been designed specifically for neurodiverse individuals, is set to release in New Zealand in the coming days.
Joel spoke with CEO and Co-Founder of the app, Holly Fowler, and Love on the Spectrum star and ambassador for Wable, Michael Theo, about what sets this social media platform apart from others, and the importance of designing applications in mind for people who are neurodiverse.
Wire Host Caeden speaks to Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni about household and tobacco tax cuts and the lowering of child poverty reduction targets
They also speak to Fiasol Miah from the Bangladesh skilled migrants association of New Zealand about the ongoing protests in Bangladesh.
And they speak to the University of Auckland’s Stephen Winter about the results of the Abuse in Care inquiry.
For City Counselling today Producer Sofia speaks to Councillor Julie Fairey about managing construction disruption in Auckland's CBD
Tuesday Wire Host Castor speaks to executive director of the association of salaried medical specialists, Sarah Dalton, about staff shortages in Aotearoa’s health sector.
And News and Editorial Director Joel speaks to CEO and co-founder of Wable, a social networking platform built for neurodiverse people, Holly Fowler, and Love on the Spectrum star and ambassador of Wable, Michael Theo, about the app’s release in Aotearoa.
Earlier this week, a number of leaders în the Green party’s Pasifika Greens group announced their resignation. The now former MPs, namely: Marie Laufiso, Alofa Aiono, and Vasemaca (vah-seh-mah-tha) Tavola released issued a joint letter saying that they felt culturally disempowered by the party’s treatment of former MP Darleen Tana, who they say was treated too harshly during while under investigation for allegations of migrant worker exploitation at her husband’s business.
The resigning MPs also said that they were not properly convened with or reached out to by Green Party leaders following the passing of late-MP Fa’anānā Efeso Collins, a prominent Pasifika member of the Greens and representative of the Pasifika community of Tamaki Makaurau.
For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to Green party MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the resignation and statements made by the Pasifika Greens members.
They also had a chat about the government’s changes to child poverty reduction targets and the Green Party's open call to the government on behalf of renters.
Last week, the Green Party released a statement highlighting the recently released Dental For All report, which they say confirms that New Zealand can afford a free, universal public dental service.
And the recently signed Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand is being touted as a pivotal moment, garnering support from both Labour and National parties, however, NZFirst MP and coalition minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Shane Jones, expressed his opposition to the agreement with derogatory comments against potential indian immigrants that have drawn the ire of other parliamentary parties.
So for our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, I spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Green Party’s Dental policy and their stance on the Free trade agreement with India.
Since its inception in 2008, the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (or ETS) has been, according to the government, its primary tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle the climate crisis. As part of the scheme, the government sets a price for carbon units, which companies must pay to offset their emissions. The Climate Change Commission has recently highlighted that the scheme was not stable and susceptible to changes in the market, and did not have sufficient carbon units to last until 2030, requiring urgent reform.
For Green World, Wire producer Liam spoke with Scott Burnett, the Regional Conservation Manager for the top of the South Island and Forest and Bird’s climate spokesperson about why Forest and Bird has called the system broken, what impact this has on Aotearoa and what reforms should be implemented.
Last week, NZ First MP and Government Minister Shane Jones was criticised over using derogatory language towards Indian Immigrants. These comments were condemned by the National Party and Christopher Luxon, who labelled NZ First’s belief system as ‘anti-immigrant’, and saidd Jones was ‘scaremongering’.
That was not the extent of criticism between NZ First and National, however, with tensions between the two sparking after NZ First Leader Winston Peters calling out Luxon for not giving coalition partners prior notice of his confidence vote during a national party caucus meeting last week. In turn, these comments have been dismissed, and Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Luxon accused NZ First and Peters of putting Labour Governments, like Arderns, into power. Despite all of this, however, Peters has insisted the coalition is as stable as a ‘three-legged stool’.
Last week also saw the Treasury announce that they would revisit their forecasts for the economy ahead of the impending government budget. The Government also announced some changes to the way Infrastructure is run by the government, giving more power to the Independent Infrastructure Commission, increasing their oversight and changing the way that Ministers receive advice and information.
This week, Host Alex spoke with National MP Ryan Hamilton about these developments, beginning with Shane Jones’ comments.
Despite a tenuous ceasefire, the fuel crisis - resulting from the US and Israel bombing of Iran, and subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz - drags on. Prices have remained high, hitting low-income households hard, and while fuel stocks in or on-the-way to the country sit comfortably above a month’s cover, approaches to conserving fuel remain front-of-mind for many.
One strategy that New Zealanders have been urged to adopt is switching to public transport, which would put fewer cars on the road. However, access is often dependent on location and affordability.
Over the past few years, the Ministry of Education has reviewed numerous rural school bus routes, cancelling some, cutting off students from ready access to their education.
For this week’s Get Action, producer Theo spoke to Alicia Hall from Parents for Climate Aotearoa, on their petition to restore rural school bus routes and make public transport free for children, and students under 25.
If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here.
Last week, the Green Party leaders, Marama Davidson and Chloe Swarbrick, hosted their state of the planet address, where they launched their call to electrify the nation.
On top of that, events this week have led the party to criticise the government. The first critique, instigated by the floods that swept the nation, hitting the Coromandel and causing a state of emergency in the Wellington Region, led the Greens to question the government's decreased funding of flood responses as harsh weather increases.
The second critique came with a cabinet paper this week that shows the government is planning on moving ahead with reforms to legislation that will see references to the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Tiriti o Waitangi redefined, in what the government sez is about ‘standardisation’ but what the Green Party sees as dishonouring Te Tiriti.
So for our weekly catch-up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March, we discuss their criticisms of the government but start with a discussion of their electrification policy.
Last week, fuel stocks in the country went down by three or four days across each fuel type. The government recognised this as not enough to change to phase two in the national fuel plan, drawing some concerned comments from the political opposition around the state of our stocks, and when the government plans to actually move up phases.
Following a week that saw both Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon comment on the state of the Strait of Hormuz, and the way the United States has handled the ongoing conflict, Willis also travelled to the US to meet with White House advisors.
This week, Host Alex spoke with National MP Ryan Hamilton about these fuel crisis developments, and what the government’s approach going forward may look like.
To start our discussion, however, we spoke briefly about the confidence in Christopher Luxon’s Leadership.
Earlier this week, Councillor Julie Fairey moved a resolution to investigate Auckland Council’s involvement with companies that are complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.
And this week, Auckland Council launched an AI virtual assistant to report issues such as graffiti, roaming dogs, and noise complaints.
For City Counselling, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about both of these topics.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown announced the signing of a new ‘City Deal’.
The deal will see closer partnership between the central government and Auckland Council, coordinating planning in areas such as infrastructure and transportation.
The deal will see a long-term partnership between the government and council, with regular meetings and cooperation on strategies for innovation and transportation, with reviews of sporting venues such as Eden Park and the Auckland Tennis Centre.
However, the deal has been critiqued by some as being a collection of promises without any new funding.
So for our weekly catch-up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March, he and producer Theo discussed the signing of the Auckland City Deal, and how the Green Party would work with Auckland Council on issues such as transportation and infrastructure.
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