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.
Joe speaks to Eileen Joy, from the School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work at the University of Auckland. They chat about recent child development theories having influenced child protection in Aotearoa in ways that have further stigmatised struggling families.
A devastating earthquake in Southern Turkey and Northern Syria earlier this week has left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.
The death toll passed 20 thousand this morning, and is expected to rise even further.
Search and rescue efforts and relief organisations from around the world are pouring into the country to look for survivors, and help displaced peoples.
David spoke to Carlos Calderon from Oxfam Aotearoa about the situation on the ground and what New Zealanders can do to help.
To donate to relief efforts in the region, head to:
www.oxfam.org.nz
www.redcross.org.nz
www.unicef.org.nz
First up on our series of policies PM Chris Hipkins has pulled back on is the public media merger of Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand.
Kris Fafoi and Willie Jackson, the former and current broadcasting minister respectively, had initially set out a preferred deadline of March 1st with a final deadline of July 1st this year.
However, Hipkins claimed the merger was too expensive and unnecessary, replacing it with a funding boost for NZ on Air and RNZ.
To learn more about what this means for public media in Aotearoa, Liam spoke to Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington’s Peter Thompson.
Almost the end of the week, whānau! A lovely show for you this morning. Rachel speaks to Jennifer Curtin on Political Commentary, debriefing Cabinet's re-prioritisations. Delaney Mes tells us all about fish on Breakfast Food, and Rachel talks to Lucky Boy and Crystal from Phoebe Rings about their recent collaborative track. Whakarongo mai nei!
We have various pieces covering the policy changes announced by prime minister Chris Hipkins on Wednesday. First, Liam spoke to VuW’s Peter Thompson about the RNZ-TVNZ merger being scrapped.
They also spoke to E Tu Unions Amy Newman about the minimum wage increase
And lastly they had a chat with Jake Roos from Don’t burn our Future about the scrapping of Aotearoas biofuel mandate.
For The Green Desk, Troy Matich speaks to Amanda Larson from Greenpeace Aotearoa about how record fuel profits are impacting the climate.
And producer Hanna Thomspon Lisa Woods, Amnesty International campaign director, about the pulling back of hate speech law reform.
After years of campaigning by community groups to table better protection against hate speech, the government has announced that law reform will be postponed and referred to the Law Commission. While some claim this move better recognises the right to freedom of expression, others argue the right should be balanced against other rights, such as the right to freedom from discrimination.
Hanna spoke to Lisa Woods, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand's Campaigns Director, about Aotearoa's hate speech laws, why reform is urgently needed, and what can be done in the interim.
Another policy PM Chris Hipkins scrapped on Wednesday took out the government's planned biofuel mandate.
They planned to make a portion of all fuel used in the Aotearoa plant based through the mandate, but decided to get rid of the policy upon the government's current focus on the cost of living.
However, both motor trade groups and environmental groups are celebrating the policy being axed - one for the lower cost of fuel and the other for how it’ll actually improve Aotearoa's environment to not use biofuels.
Liam spoke to Jake Roos from Don't Burn Our Future about how the canning of the policy will actually be better for both the environment and our cost of living.
In the lead up to the 2023 General Election, The Wire will be speaking to ACT Party MP Karen Chhour about the political hot potatoes of today and tomorrow.
For their first interview, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins asked Chhour about why she got into politics and ACT’s thoughts on the inquiry into the Auckland floods.
Recent reports show that 2022 saw record profits from five major fuel companies globally, totalling over one trillion dollars in sales.
This announcement amidst the cost of living crisis and the repercussions of climate change has confused many, with demands for wind and fuel taxes to be implemented.
Tory Matich spoke to Greenpeace Spokesperson about this.
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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