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.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Lecturer in the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Dr Johanna Reidy, about school uniform equity in Aotearoa.
Producer Olivia spoke to Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Otago, Warren Tate, about the links between ME/CFS and Long COVID.
She also spoke to Postgraduate Fellow in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Otago, Dr Remy Muhsin, about the prevalence of parasites such as toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidium.
Ahead of the new school year, concerns have been raised about the high cost of compulsory school uniforms amid the rising cost of living.
New research has found that 20% of students in one school in a higher socioeconomic area worried about whether their parents could afford their uniform.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Lecturer in the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Dr Johanna Reidy, about what can be done to ensure students experience the benefits of school uniforms without added pressure on families.
The Coalition Government’s plans to dissolve mega polytechnic Te Pukenga has left the tertiary education sector in a state of uncertainty.
Last year individual polytechnics reported a collective loss of $185 million and strike action disrupted students' courses as tertiary education providers took concerns over pay and conditions to the government.
Nicholas spoke to the National president of the Tertiary Education Union, Dr Julie Douglas, about the issues facing Tertiary Education in 2024 as well as the policy areas she believes need to be at the forefront of the Minister for Tertiary educations plans.
In the tumult of last year's election campaign it seemed that there were a myriad of issues that got limited to no coverage time.
Amongst the issues that took a backseat was mental health care.
Statistics from 2021 showed an increase in people reporting poor mental wellbeing and as a country we ranked 38th in the world in child mental wellbeing in 2020.
An article titled “Some mental health advice for Minister Doocey“ was recently published by Newsroom. The article highlighted three key areas of focus for policy regarding mental health, with those priorities being;
Universal Health Coverage, Parity of Esteem for mental health services and reaching unreached populations.
Nicholas spoke to the article's author Dr Ian Soosay about his advice for the new Government’s mental health policy.
The Tuesday Wire team is joined by Dr Allan Blackman for Dear Science!
Nicholas speaks to the National president of the Tertiary Education Union, Dr Julie Douglas, about the issues facing Tertiary Education in 2024 as well as the policy areas she believes need to be at the forefront of the Minister for Tertiary educations plans.
Nicholas also spoke to mental health advocate Dr Ian Soosay about his advice for the new Government’s mental health policy.
On Friday, FIRST Union staged protests across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch outside offices of the company Deloitte and the Philippine Embassy. The protests mark a month since recruitment agency ELE entered into receivership, and 1000 workers, over half of which were migrant workers, lost their jobs. A large majority of the migrant workers are Filipino, and have received no support from the Philippine Embassy. Hundreds of migrant workers are now still struggling financially, and many of them are on temporary work visas that are running out.
Rosetta spoke to Dennis Maga, FIRST Union General Secretary, about the protests, and what support these migrant workers need moving forward.
For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori, Rosetta spoke to MP Takutai Kemp about the hui-a-motu held by the Kiingitanga at Tūrangawaewae Marae on Saturday, Te Pāti Māori’s calls for the New Zealand government to support South Africa’s case against Israel at the international Court of Justice, and leaked documents revealing the government's intentions to erase Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
She also spoke to Margaret Mutu, University of Auckland professor of Māori studies, and expert on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, about Saturday’s hui at Tūrangawaewae Marae.
Rosetta also spoke to University of Canterbury (UC) Professor Ann Brower of the School of Earth and Environment, who is the lead author of the recently published research paper, New Zealand’s braided rivers: The land the law forgot, about the importance of protecting Aotearoa’s braided rivers
And finally, Rosetta spoke to Dennis Maga, FIRST Union General Secretary, about the union groups protests on Friday regarding a group of predominantly filipino migrant workers who have been left in economic hardship after recruitment group ELE entered receivership in December of 2023.
For our first catch up with Te Pāti Māori of 2024, Rosetta spoke to Takutai Kemp about the hui-a-motu held by the Kiingitanga at Tūrangawaewae Marae on Saturday. The hui had a turnout of around 10,000 people, Māori and non-Māori, all uniting to protest the current government’s efforts to challenge Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Rosetta and Takutai spoke about what action plan has been taken from the hui in order to protect Te Tiriti and Māori. They also spoke about leaked documents posted by Rawiri Waititi which show intentions from the government to erase Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and Te Pāti Māori’s labelling of the government as ‘overpromising’ Finally, they spoke about South Africa’s case against Israel in the International Court of Justice and Te Pāti Māori’s vocal support of this.
Also in attendance at Tūrangawaewae marae for the Kiingitanga held hui-a-motu on Saturday was author and professor of Māori studies at the University of Auckland Margaret Mutu. Margaret and Rosetta had a kōrero about the hui and what movements we can expect to see from Māori in order to protect Te Tiriti, particularly around Waitangi day next month. They spoke about the notable absence of Christopher Luxon, Winston Peters, and David Seymour from the event on Saturday and what she believes both Māori and non-Māori need to be doing in order to protect Te Reo Māori, Tangata Whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi under the current government.
Aotearoa, and particularly Te Wai Pounamu, The South Island, is home to unique braided rivers, or rivers that are both land and water, with channels throughout the rivers that cause the rivers to change throughout the seasons. In early 2023, a group of scientists, lawyers, planners, policy experts and engineers formed a group named ‘The Land the law forgot’, which hopes to advocate for the protection of braided rivers, which sometimes go unspoken for in legislation as a grey area between land and water. Advocacy from the group has in part resulted in the Natural and Built Environments Act (2023) which exempts braided rivers from the same umbrella as riverbeds under the previous resource management act, and means they can be protected under their own circumstances.
Rosetta spoke to Professor Ann Brower of the University of Canterbury School of Earth and Environment, who is the lead author of the recently published research paper, New Zealand’s braided rivers: The land the law forgot, about how braided rivers need to be protected moving forward.
For City Counselling this week, Wire host Caeden spoke with Counsellor Lotu Fuli about the early morning vandalisation of the Rainbow Crossing on Karangahape Road.
They also ask about the end of half-price fares for under 25s, and the relationship Wayne Brown, as well as Auckland Council more generally, has with Auckland Transport.
It is estimated that 50 million people worldwide are currently involved in some form of slavery. Many of those who have been enslaved for their labour, and work as child labourers, produce goods that we import and consume on a regular basis here in Aotearoa.
Currently, there is no existing legislation in Aotearoa that requires companies to disclose the source of their goods, or to ensure that their products are being ethically produced; giving them free rein to indulge in modern slavery in order to cut their production costs.
Producer Oto spoke to Dr Susan Maiava, Co-Founder of the ethical directory Fair & Good who have created a petition and open letter urging the government to introduce modern slavery legislation.
For their weekly interview, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to ACT’s Simon Court about the government’s new measures aimed at reducing youth vaping, significant cuts to the Ministries for Primary Industries and Health as directed by the government, and calls from more than 30 organisations, including World Vision, Save the Children, and Greenpeace, for the government to create a special humanitarian visa for Palestinians in Gaza with family connections to New Zealand.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party Caeden spoke to Labour Party spokesperson for Education and Women Jan Tinetti. They asked about Winston Peter’s comments comparing co-governance with Nazi Germany, the response to the Freyberg High School students performing a haka against David Seymour, and Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech yesterday.
Yesterday the Western line was closed for some stops including between New Market and Britomart, while two Britomart stations remained closed due to KiwiRail maintenance issues. This won’t surprise commuters in Tāmaki Makaurau who are far too used to trains not running or turning up.
Caeden spoke to West Auckland based counsellor Shane Henderson about our public transport woes and the success of the cost-cutting budget. Here is that interview.
This week on Dear Science, Wire host Castor spoke to Professor Alan Blackman about how daylight savings impacts car crashes, how handwriting notes can improve memory, and a strange defense tactic used by Spanish ladybugs.
Homeowners across the motu are facing an average rates rise of 15 percent in the next year.
Councils say they need to balance the need for investment with affordable rates increases, but that budgetary pressures have reached a “tipping point”.
For their weekly interview, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to ACT’s Simon Court about their party’s stance on investing in local infrastructure, amid the government reducing funding for public transport.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party Caeden speaks to Labour’s Jan Tinneti about the backlash from educators towards a Government proposal to cut free lunches in schools.
They also ask about last weeks International Women’s Day, and what more needs to be down for women in Aotearoa and overseas.
For Get Action!, Ngāti Kahu o Torongare joins producer Sofia Kent to talk about their current petition that stands against a series of land injustices.
Wāhi tapu of Whangārei, Te Kamo is battling an approved consent that will see 93 homes built upon sacred Onoke Pā.
Though having been legally recognised as wāhi tapu (sacred land), the council has chosen to ignore significant cultural importance in lieu of urban development.
Nicki Wakefield begins by explaining the significance of Onoke Pā.