Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Sara Mckoy, Max Micheel, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
The government's decision to remove funding for pre-sentencing cultural background reports has faced criticism from advocates, particularly for how it could impact Maaori and Pasifika.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Action Against Poverty Coordinator, Brooke Stanely Pao, about their recommendations for how the government could better reduce crime in Aotearoa.
For Dear Science this week Dr Cushla McGoverin chats about new developments with 3D printing and the human brain, coral reef biodiversity, and Scorpions.
MP James Meager is taking over from Dr Shane Reti for our weekly catch-up with the National Party. This week News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Meager about the government scrapping the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax and funding for pre-sentencing cultural reports.
She also spoke to Action Against Poverty Coordinator Brooke Pao Stanely about cultural reports.
Producer Sofia spoke to head farmer at OMG farm Jake Clarke about the impact of western farming practices on soil fertility.
And she talked to Senior transport planner at Arup, a collective of engineers and consultants, Tiffany Robinson, about urban design and indigenous wisdom.
Wedged in between a city-rail link office and an empty building is a netball-sized green sanctuary; otherwise known as OMG: the Organic Market Garden farm.
Charity organisation For The Love of Bees revitalised the small block of land into a regenerative farm that provides vegetables for over 40 families alongside hosting bee-friendly workshops.
The garden is an outlier in the way its farming benefits the soil and ecosystem in stark comparison to western practice, which are the leading cause of soil degradation.
Sofia spoke to Head Farmer Jake Clarke about the garden and its nourishment of both soil and community
In 2018, Women in Urbanism Aotearoa conducted a survey that found more than 75% of women experienced harassment while using public transport, cycling, or walking.
The survey is being conducted once again, and this time is paired with workshops aimed at better understanding Wāhine Māori experiences in a western framework.
ARUP, a collective organisation of engineers and designers, are heading the research project to see what urban space and transport systems might look like planned from a Te Ao Māori perspective.
Sofia spoke to Senior Transport Planner at ARUP Tiffany Robinson about the project.
The largest hikoi protest to Waitangi Grounds in modern history took place this Waitangi, with thousands gathering to voice their concerns about the new government’s proposed policies, including a referendum on the principles of Te Tiriti, ending co-governance, and removing Te Reo from the names of public services.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Action Station Director Kassie Hartendorp (Ngāti Raukawa), about this significant show of solidarity and her reflections of the day.
She also spoke to rofessional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland Law School, Eru Kapa-Kingi (Te Aupōuri, Ngāpuhi, Waikato-Tainui, and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), about his impression of what went down and how members of government were received.
For our weekly catch up with Te Pati Māori, Takutai Kemp and Rosetta had a kōrero about Waitangi day and how last week unfolded. They spoke about how the government was received at Waitangi, Rawiri Waititi’s repeated call for the establishment of a Māori parliament during his speech, and Te Pati Māori entering Waitangi alongside the Kiingitanga rather than other opposition parties. Rosetta and Takutai also caught up on the events at Rātana a couple of weeks ago and David Seymours comments about the day.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, Jess asked MP Simon Court about how ACT was received at Waitangi, after Seymour and other members of government were reportedly drowned out with booing and a protest Waiata.
At Waitangi, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said National would not support ACT’s Treaty Principles bill past its first reading. Jess asked Court about his thoughts on this.
Following the largest turnout at Waitangi commemorations in modern history, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Professional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland Law School, Eru Kapa-Kingi (Te Aupōuri, Ngāpuhi, Waikato-Tainui, and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), about his impression of what went down and how members of government were received.
Two Aotearoa researchers are arguing that indigenous knowledge and western science need to be taught alongside each other in a recently published paper in Science journal titled “Teach Indigenous knowledge alongside science”. Amanda Black, co-director of Bioprotection Aotearoa and Professor at Lincoln University and Jason Tylianakis, professor of ecology at University of Canterbury, are the two lead authors of the paper. They argue that while indigenous knowledge and science are not interchangeable, they are equally as important to be taught in their own rights, and are equally as important on a global scale when discussing climate policy. The paper also discusses the misinformed common attitude towards indigenous knowledge as less valuable or inferior to western science.
Rosetta spoke to Amanda Black about the paper further.
For our weekly catch up with the Labour Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about Waitangi, and the government’s announcement yesterday that it will no longer fund cultural reports used in sentencing.
From Dec 27 to Jan 18, all train lines across Tāmaki will be shutting down for summer maintenance, a closure which is expected to be the last of its kind ahead of the opening of the City Rail Link.
The current measles outbreak in Tāmaki is being continually monitored, with exposure sites being updated daily on info.health.nz. The public are encouraged to track whether they’ve been in possible contact with the virus, and get up to date on any vaccinations to limit possibilities of transmission.
Auckland Council are supporting arts initiatives across the summer months, with Music in the Park kicking off in early January, and Movies in the Park following in February.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about these topics, and also asked for comment following the attack by two gunmen at Bondi Beach earlier this week.
Yesterday, the latest six-monthly survey of housing support providers under the National Homelessness Data Project, or NHDP, showed that homelessness in Auckland has more than doubled in the year to September. The report also found that 14 of the 21 agencies interviewed reported an increase in homelessness.
As well as this, Australia’s ban on social media for children under 16 has taken effect. And according to an interim report into social media harm, a social media ban for children in New Zealand is worth exploring further.
And last week the Government announced the replacement of the Resource Management Act, or RMA. The coalition said its replacement will slash red tape and supercharge growth.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the Government’s new RMA reforms and a potential social media ban in New Zealand.
But first they discussed the latest report on Auckland homelessness.
The Parliament’s Workforce and Education Committee has released an interim report on an inquiry into the harm young New Zealanders face online. The government has recently announced an overhaul of the Resource Management Act and introduced two new bills in its place, the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill.
For our weekly catch-up with the National Party, Producer Vihan spoke to MP Carl Bates, who is also the Deputy Chairperson of the Workforce and Education Committee, about the new findings of the interim report, the new Natural Environment Bill, and the Fast Track Approval Amendments Bill.
The government has announced the overhaul of the Resource Management Act (RMA), which will be replaced by two different bills, the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. The RMA is set to be fully replaced by 2029.
The RMA, which has been in effect for 34 years, is polarising across the political spectrum.
In announcing the reforms, RMA Reform Minister, Chris Bishop, says that “pretty much everything” will be quicker and less costly under the new regime.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about this overhaul of the RMA.
They also discussed The Education and Workforce Committee’s interim report on the harms young people experience online, with a majority recommending a ban on social media for under-16-year-olds.
But first, they discussed the overhaul of the RMA.
On Sunday, “Block the Ban” held a protest against the government’s decision to ban new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria.
The United Nations’ committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination has released a report warning that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights.
And last week, the government rejected the recommended methane emissions targets.
This is despite officials warning against the government doing so, stating that lowering methane emissions targets could increase New Zealand’s contribution to global warming.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.
Safety measures on public transport are of growing concern this week following the fatal and unprovoked attack that took place on route 76 in East Tāmkaki on Monday night.
Earlier this week there were also multiple critical incidents that occurred simultaneously across Auckland’s West Coast beaches and waterways, seeing an unusually high deployment of emergency services and surf lifesavers for this early in the summer.
Swedish home and furniture retailer Ikea opened in Sylvia Park a week ago today, drawing huge excitement for many.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about these topics.
Last week was scrutiny week, where Parliament focuses entirely on holding government agencies and ministers to account, to check-in on how well the Government is performing.
Many of the questions surrounding scrutiny week have been focused on climate change, with many recent reports highlighting the Government’s questionable decision-making.. The biggest headline was that the coalition had chosen to reject all three of the climate change commission’s recommendations to strengthen New Zealand’s emissions targets.
Along with this, the United Nations released a new report, where they’ve warned that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights and entrenching disparities for the indigenous population. In the 14-page report, the UN expressed concerns over multiple government policies affecting Maori, including the disestablishment of the Maori Health Authority, cuts to public funding for Maori services, and minimising the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the report released by the United Nations, but first they discussed Scrutiny Week and the Government’s recent climate change decisions.
The government is pausing the new prescriptions of Puberty Blockers to gender diverse and transgender young people from the 19th of December onwards, following a similar move by the UK after the results of the NHS’s Cass Review.
Wire Producer Flo spoke to activist Lauren Craig about the effects of the legislation, her petition “Reverse the decision to deny transgender and takatāpui young people access to puberty blockers” against the changes and the wider political motivation for the policy.
If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here
The biannual Scrutiny Week took place in Parliament last week, with meetings across select committees and government departments focussed on scrutinising the outcomes of government work.
These include hearings on ministries like Health, Housing, Environment and Justice.
Wire Host Sara spoke to National MP Carl Bates about Scrutiny Week, firstly by asking him to talk about the meetings he was involved in
95bFM 
