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.
Acute mental health care units remain in the shadows, neither fully integrated into general hospitals nor part of the community, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington, say. Joe spoke to the lead researcher of this study, Associate Professor Ruth Cunningham on this matter.
Launched by OpenAI in November 2022, ChatGPT can do a lot of things. It can write coherent paragraphs of arguments and stories. It can write movie scripts, poems, make lectures for teachers, write essays and lyrics for songs. Recent research shows it Can even write scholarly articles that would be accepted by journals. Then there is also Dall-E an AI system that generates images and artwork
How should we value these technologies? What will be the effects of such technologies on our creative process?
Daniel talked with Nir Eisikovits, professor in Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts to reflect on these questions.
The shorter working week is a powerful and practical solution to problematic trends. For example Burnouts, automation, gender inequality and climate change. The shorter working week is a simpel ideal to give us an utopian perspective for a better world. Working 4 days with the same pay, so people can enjoy their free time and still be more productive.
Daniel spoke with Kyle Lewis. Writer of the book Overtime, why we need a shorter working week and founder of think tank Autonomy.
David brings us City Counselling with Shane Henderson as they talk about clean up efforts in West Auckland after last week’s floods.
Joe looks into Acute Mental Health units remaining in the shadows, he speaks to Associate Professor Ruth Cunningham from the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington on the matter. Joe also looks into mammogram coverage targets missing for the third year in a row, he speaks to Adele Gautier, Research manager at The Breast Cancer Foundation on this issue.
Joe also speaks to Alexandra Xanthaki a UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights and Professor of Laws at Brunel University London, United Kingdom, about the commending of the IOC for considering admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutral contestants.
Daniel looks into ChatGPT and how AI impacts humanity, he speaks to Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts in Boston on the topic. He also speaks to Kyle Lewis, founder and researcher at Think Tank Autonomy about a 4 day work week.
As people continue to struggle with rising cost of living, some economists have suggested raising unemployment rates to tamp inflation. However, doing so would further increase hardship for those laid off, and job losses would concentrate among low-income workers. Are gentler deflationary tools available?
Hanna spoke to Professor Robert MacCulloch, Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at the University of Auckland, about why unemployment remained low despite market shocks, the theory behind raising unemployment to tackle inflation and its critique, and the disciplinary effect of unemployment on workers.
The mass flooding in Auckland has renewed conversations and calls for the three waters reform to continue, to completion.
The controversial Labour policy has been speculated to be on the chopping block of new PM Chris Hipkins, further supported by the appointment of new cabinet minister Kieran McAnulty to the local government portfolio.
However, the devastation caused by the flooding reinstated how badly Tamaki Makaurau needs updated stormwater infrastructure.
To learn about where the reform currently stands and what stormwater infrastructure needs to be put in place, i’ve spoken to UoA’s Timothy Welch, E tū Unions Mat Danaher and ACT MP Simon Court about their respective opinions on the policy.
Liam has a package re-evaluating the Three Waters Reform in the wake of the Auckland flooding. They’ve spoken to the University of Auckland's Dr Timothy Welch about stormwater infrastructure, E Tū Union director Mat Danaher about why they support Three Waters and ACT Party local government and infrastructure spokesperson Simon Court about why they continue to oppose it.
Hanna spoke to Professor Robert MaCulloch about Aotearoa's unemployment rates.
And Liam had a chat with bFM European Correspondent Cameron Adams about what's been going on in Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and the UK!
News Sub-Editor Stella Huggins speaks to Dr Suze Wilson, a senior lecturer at Massey University about Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s response to the flooding in Tāmaki Makaurau.
News & Editorial Director interviews Dr Mikael Boulic, a senior lecturer at the Massey University School of Built Environment about how people can protect themselves from health hazards such as mould in flood damaged homes.
Producer Troy Matich speak to Victoria University professor James Renwick about climate change and its effects on weather and disasters.
And Michelle Le Long Chief Operating Officer at pet insurance specialist PD Insurance shares their advice for pet owners on protecting their furry family members during the ongoing floods.
The Auckland floods have been devastating for many, but will this extreme weather become our new normal?
Today Troy Matich spoke with Victoria University Professor James Renwick about how the future of climate change could bring more extreme weather, and disaster.
More than 200 homes have been red-stickered, and at least 5000 have been damaged after the devastating deluge across Tāmaki Makaurau and the upper North Island.
Experts are warning that health hazards such as mould and contamination could be waiting for residents returning to their flood damaged homes.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Senior Lecturer at the Massey University School of Built Environment, Dr Mikael Boulic, who says Auckland’s current conditions are the “worst case scenario” for mould to grow.
We started off our interview discussing what steps people should take when cleaning up their wet property.
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