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.
Climate Justice Taranaki has announced they are working with other climate groups to take a joint case to the Waitangi tribunal.
Their case would target the Crown, and their lack of focus on targeting big polluters at the expense of vulnerable New Zealanders.
This comes following Mike Smith’s win at the Supreme Court where it was found New Zealanders have a right to take big polluters like Fonterra to court for not meeting climate and environmental targets.
This week for Global Issues, 95bFM’s new segment focusing on human rights issues, Caeden spoke to Climate Justice Taranaki spokesperson Tuhi-Ao Bailey (Taranaki, Te Atiawa, Ngati Mutunga) about the case.
The term “one-in-100-year event” is often used to describe extreme weather events such as last year’s Cyclone Gabrielle. However, the term can generate misconceptions about probability and change the way the public reacts to such events.
Producer Castor spoke to Lecturer of Emergency Management at Massey University’s Joint Center for Disaster Research, Doctor Lauren Vinnell about the term and the consequences of its use.
Queer musicians have a unique relationship with pop music, especially here in Aotearoa, where the queer pop music scene is thriving.
Musician Jason Parker, who has just released his first EP, "How To Be Lonely", is producing the "Little Gay In" , a live showcase to celebrate queer music and build the community. Olivia talked to Jason about his personal experience with pop music, the history of queer pop music, and the importance of queer music events.
Our welfare system has regulations surrounding relationships, which can greatly impact the amount of welfare entitlement they receive. A person's benefits can be greatly reduced if they are in a relationship, which includes casual dating.
Many have criticised these regulations, saying it prevents people from entering relationships due to fears of losing their benefits, and risks trapping people in unsafe relationships due to forced financial dependence. Olivia spoke to Fairer Future spokesperson, and ActionStation campaigner, Vanessa Cole, about the issues with these regulations, and the action the government should take.
For our regular catch-up with the Green Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to co-leader, James Shaw, about the government’s plans to increase benefit sanctions and Israel’s ground invasion of Rafah.
She talked to Local Government New Zealand President and Selwyn District Council Mayor, Sam Broughton, about the government re-introducing referendums on Māori wards.
And she spoke to Medical Oncologist, Dr George Laking, about an initiative taking cancer services into marae and other community settings.
News teamer Faith spoke to Tertiary Education Union organiser, Drew Mayhem, about union members at Yoobee College of Creative Innovation striking yesterday.
Producer Olivia spoke to musician Jason Parker about the relationship between pop music and queerness in Aotearoa, and his event, the “Little Gay In”.
And for Get Action! this week, she spoke to Fairer Future spokesperson, Vanessa Cole, about our welfare system’s restrictive relationship regulations.
For our weekly catch-up, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Green Party Co-Leader James Shaw about the government’s plans to increase benefit sanctions and decrease the rate at which benefits increase annually.
They also discussed Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters meeting with Israel's Ambassador to New Zealand.
Yesterday union members at Yoobee College of Creative Innovation campuses across the motu went on strike for four and a half hours after failed collective agreement negotiations that have been going on since September 2022.
News teamer Faith spoke to Tertiary Education Union organiser, Drew Mayhem, about why their members took strike action.
The coalition government plans to make Māori wards go through a referendum process.
Previously, Māori wards could be overturned with a referendum - but this rule did not apply to any other wards.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Local Government New Zealand President and Selwyn District Council Mayor, Sam Broughton, about their opposition to this.
The coalition government has made changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, including allowing landlords to charge an additional bond of up to two weeks rent on top of the standard bond of up to four weeks, if a tenant wishes to have a pet on the property.
No-cause evictions have also been reintroduced, allowing landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason, provided they give them 90 days notice.
For our weekly interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about these changes.
Disability communities have been rallying against a surprise change in purchasing rules in the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha. Communities have said the changes will have massive impact, despite no consultation on these changes or a formal announcement.
The Department of Conversation also recently proposed staffing cuts to meet funding demands. DoC controls a third of Aotearoa’s landmass which is all conservation land. It remains uncertain how job losses in the Ministry could impact conservation land management.
For weekly catch-up with the Labour party Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour spokesperson for Disability Issues and Conservation Priyanca Rahdakrishnan about both of these issues.
For our weekly interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about the government’s proposal to increase student attendance rates and his post on X last week, in which he stated he stands with Israel.
The Ministry of Social Development is not immune to job cuts seen in other public service departments, with MSD calling for voluntary redundancies after cost-saving efforts failed to meet Government targets. For our weekly catch-up with Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni Wire Host Caeden asks her about the impact of cuts at MSD, especially amongst other Government policies disadvantaging beneficiaries.
They also ask about the Samoan Citizenship Bill led by Teanau Tuiono, and the impact of losing independent media giants such as Newshub for democracy.
A proposal to merge the Ōtara-Papatoetoe and Māngere-Ōtāhuhu local boards has been met with criticism, with consultation opening at the end of next month.
A new report has also been released on the quality of living in Tāmaki Makaurau with our city receiving mixed results by scoring high on some areas (the environment), and lower on others (education).
Wire Host Caeden speaks to Counsellor Lotu Fuli about both these topics for City Counselling.
For this week's Get Action! Sofia spoke to petitioner Abdul Safi and his campaign to place sanctions on Israel amidst genocidal acts that are widely considered war crimes.
If you want to sign this petition, you can find it here:
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