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.
Robert Bartholomew is a sociologist specialised in social panics. He predicted already after the first shooting down of a ‘chinese spy balloon’ there would be a wave of UFO sightings in the US. Daniel spoke with him about the history and psychology of such UFO scares and outbreaks of UFO sightings.
Last Tuesday we celebrated romantic love. But what is romantic love actually? Daniel spoke with Anthony Milligan from Kings College London about one image of romantic love: The idea of finding a soulmate.
Joe looks at the Muriwai landslide following Cyclone Gabrielle and how the landscape that the houses were built on was eroded by a landslide in 1965. He spoke to Associate Professor Martin Brook, from the University of Auckland on this matter. Joe also speaks to Claire Breen, a Professor of Law at the University of Waikato about the latest report into the rights of children in Aotearoa from the UN.
Daniel dives into the psychology and history of social panics about UFO’s with Robert Bartholomew. He also speaks to Anthony Milligan from King's College in London about love and soulmates.
Joe speaks to Rebecca Dunlop from the University of Queensland about Humpback Whales switching from singing to fighting to win over the ladies.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has recently published its sixth review into how Aotearoa New Zealand is implementing its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989.
Joe spoke to Claire Breen Professor of Law at the University of Waikato on this matter.
Two firefighters lost their lives when the house they were called to was brought down by a landslide on Monday night, due to Cyclone Gabriel. However, this is not the first time a fatal landslide has occured. A mother and her teenage daughter died and two houses were destroyed during two huge landslides in Muriwai in 1965. Experts say that the sand and soil was probably already damaged due to the past landslides.
Joe spoke to Associate Professor Martin Brook from the University of Auckland on the matter.
As whale numbers recovered from near extinction, humpback whales off Australia's east coast may have shifted their mating tactics from singing to fighting with other males, in order to win over the ladies. The study looked at data collected between 1997 and 2015, a period in which the population increased from around 3,700 to 27,000 whales.
Joe spoke to Rebecca Dunlop from the University of Queensland on the subject.
Liam had bFM’s first chat with defence minister Andrew Little for 2023, where they talked about his first couple weeks in the role and the extreme weather events in Te Ika-Ā-Maui, the North Island.
Continuing on with the cyclone reporting, Liam spoke to Daithi Stone from NIWA about the links between Cyclone Gabrielle and the climate crisis.
We also have bFM European Correspondent Cameron Adams back on for EuroVision, chatting about the war in Ukraine, Scotland first minister NIcola Sturgeon's resignation, and more.
Liam also spoke to Sophie Lund Ramussen, an Oxford University researcher at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit in Denmark. We had a chat about her discovery of the world's oldest hedgehog named Thorvald, and what it means for species conservation.
And producer Hanna Thompson spoke to Professor Euan Mason from the NZ school of forestry at the University of Canterbury about erosion in the cyclones.
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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