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.
Biogen has announced that SPINRAZA (nusinersen) – a first-of-its-kind medicine – is the first medicine funded by Pharmac for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the number one cause of genetic death in Kiwi children under two.
SMA is a rare genetic disease that can have a devastating and life-changing impact. In its severe forms, SMA can cause paralysis and difficulty with the most basic functions of life, like breathing and swallowing,3 with babies and children possibly unable to hit major motor milestones like rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, or walking.
Joe spoke to Fiona Tolich a long-term campaigner and advocate for SMA, and a Trustee of Patient Voice Aotearoa, about how significant this is.
Joe speaks to Fiona Tolich, long-term campaigner and advocate for SMA, about Pharmacs funding of SPINRAZA, a first-of-its-kind medicine for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the number one cause of genetic death in Kiwi children under two.
Daniel speaks to Merewalesi Yee, who is a PhD student at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia about her project that seeks to advance the understanding of human migration in Fiji caused by climate change. He also speaks to Leba Gaunavinaka who is a climate change adaptation specialist at the Fijian Ministry of Climate Change about relocating Fijian communities whose land is inhabitable due to climate change.
David chats to Shane Henderson for our regular segment, City Counselling. They look at Auckland Council Group’s Annual Budget 2023/2024. David also speaks to Lachlan Keating from Deaf Aotearoa about creating NZ Sign Language videos for the 2023 census.
For years, politicians and scientists have been talking about a future of migration caused by climate change. In Fiji this migration has already begun. The question is now how to exactly do it.
Daniel spoke with Merewalesi Yee who is pursuing a PHD at the university of Queensland in Brisban Australia. Her project seeks to understand human migration in Fiji caused by climate change and the role of mobility in climate change adaptation.
Leba Gaunavinaka is a climate change adaption specialist at the Fijian ministry of climate change. She helped creating the plan that tries to tackle one of the most urgent problems of the climate crisis: how to relocate communities whose land is soon inhabitable.
Delicious Revolution has kicked off an ambitious nationwide crowdfunding campaign to plant 20,000 sunflowers in support of Starship children’s hospital.
Director of new Auckland-based start-up, Delicious Revolution, Levi Brinsdon-Hall has teamed up with the Starship Foundation to create an immersive sunflower installation across four different gardens at the Greenlane Clinical Centre, a location where many Starship children receive treatment. His vision is to bring joy to patients, staff and the community.
Joe chats with Levi Brinsdon-Hall about the project.
The COP15 Biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada is set to begin today.
The conference of parties is set to specifically target issues of biodiversity and how it links to improving our climate.
The conference was initially meant to take place in China a couple years ago, but was delayed and eventually relocated due to covid restrictions.
To learn about the conference's big issues, Liam spoke to Stephen Hartley, from Victoria University of Wellington about the current state of Biodiversity and what this conference should aim to achieve.
Tuva’a has his regular chat with health minister Andrew Little.
Liam had a chat with Shaun Greaves from Amnesty International about their Wrie for Rights campaign.
Joe speaks to Will Appelbe, Head of Investigations at SAFE for Animals about their calls for the government to improve oversight following a heat-stress related death.
Liam also spoke to Stephen Hartley from Victoria University f Wellington about the COP15 biodiversity summit
He also speaks to Levi Brinsdon-Hall from Delicious Revolution about a project looking to bring a sunflower garden to Starship hospital.
And Liam toTe Arepa Morehu from Toi o Tamaki Auckland Art Gallery to discuss the value art galleries bring to our city.
SAFE is urgently-renewing calls for a Commissioner for Animals, following the Ministry for Primary Industries’ investigation into heat stress-related deaths of several pigs on a livestock truck earlier this year.
The deaths occurred aboard a livestock truck and trailer operated by Te Awamutu company Osbourne’s Transport
Joe spoke to Will Appelbe, Head of Investigations at SAFE for Animals to get some insight into the issue.
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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