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.
In the mid-20th century, hundreds of Banabans were displaced from Banaba Island to Fiji’s Rabi Island due to the devastating impacts of phosphate mining. Today, Banabans on Rabi continue to face discrimination as a partially self-governing entity falling between the cracks of Fiji and Kiribati. Their stories remain largely unheard in Aotearoa New Zealand, where the benefits of mining allowed the British to advance their colonisation and kickstart New Zealand’s agricultural sector.
95bFM digital subeditor Stella Huggins speaks to Katja Phutaraksa Neef, Erin and Banaban delegate Jack, about the forced displacement of the Banaban community and their ongoing human rights struggles, as well as their new art exhibition titled "Justice for Rabi: The Story of Banaba".
Friday March 3rd marks World Hearing Day. An event which cannot be missed is the Listen Up Conference, where the CEO of Able, Dan Buckingham will be speaking about accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Today on The Wire, 95bFM's digital subeditor Stella Huggins speaks to communications intern at Able, Gabriella Evans, who is deaf and a caption-user, about her experience with accessing media, and the importance of the saying ‘nothing about us without us’, a mantra used to communicate the idea that no policy should be decided by any representative without the full and direct participation of members of the groups affected by that policy.
Hydrocephalus is a disease with 100 New Zealand patients diagnosed every year. A recent funding injection of $6 million into the world’s first implantable long term brain pressure sensor promises relief for New Zealanders and also those across the globe.
Arno spoke with Professor Simon Malpas who is leading research at the Implantable Devices Group at the University of Auckland. Arno spoke with him to find out more about this research and what it means for New Zealanders as well as a global population. Arno started off by asking for an explanation of what hydrocephalus is.
Today on the Tuesday Wire Milly speaks to Xavier Walsh co-president of Unite Unions, a union organisation representing workers in both the hospitality and entertainment industries. The organisation is behind some highly sucessful wins such as abolishing the zero-hour contract for fast food workers, and is currrently leading the change on fair pay agreements for hospitality workers. Milly explores the importance of the ability to unionize with Xavier.
In their weekly catch up, Hanna Thompson spoke to with Te Pāti Māori Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Takutai Kemp. They disucssed the party's kaupapa as a movement towards mana motuhake, whether Te Pāti Māori was excluded from tomorrow's General Election debate at the University of Auckland, controversy over Three Waters, and finding community and mana motuhake in Te Matatini celebrations.
In times of crisis, arts, culture and creative experiences play an essential role. But according to James Wenley, a lecturer in the theatre programme at Victoria University of Wellington, the arts and culture in Aotearoa are in a cycle of crisis.
Why are we in this cycle? And how do we break out of it? Daniel Teunissen spoke to Wenleyabout this.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about a 14,500 strong petition to amend disability accessibility legislation that was delivered to parliament and claims of heightened crime in Cyclone-Affected Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti.
A question that sparks curiousity and contradiction is, are we in the midst of a wellbeing pandemic? The question may seem curious, even contradictory. Researchers say that if we look around us, the concept is everywhere and spreading in the media, in government institutions and transnational organisations, in schools, in workplaces, and in the marketplace
Joe spoke to Steven Jackson, Professor of Sport Policy and Politics at the University of Otago to get some insight on this matter.
There are 38 organisations who are issuing a public call for Auckland Transport to urgently deliver the long overdue inner west cycle lanes and street improvements. Six of those are schools that want safer street for their students, there is the Grey lynn residents association, there are several businesses from ponsonby and K road that support the improvements and there are advocacy groups.
The Waitematā Safer Routes (also known as the Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements) is the project that hangs in the balance. It has been paused and this spawned criticism from the community who urge to continue the Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements.
The Waitematā Safer Routes are a vital link between the adjoining projects. Dropping the middle project would mean network benefits were lost, and the schools and communities of the inner west would be left disconnected.
There are 56 letters in support of Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements, while there are 6 letters opposing the improvements.
Daniel spoke with Mike Lee about his thoughts on the inner west cycle lanes and street improvements.
Joe looks into why we chase wellbeing and how it may be unhealthy for us. He speaks to Steven Jackson, Professor of Sport Policy and Politics at the University of Otago on the matter. Joe also looks into sportswashing in relation to the Womens FIFA World Cup, he speaks to Dr Marilyn Giroux, senior marketing lecturer in Business and Economics at the University of Auckland on the matter.
Daniel brings us City Counselling with Mike Lee, they speak about inner west cycle lanes and street improvements. He also speaks to Philosophy Professor Robert Sparrow from Monash University about the ethics of our relationship with robots.
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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