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.
Liam spoke to City Councillor Shane Henderson about Infrastructure in West Auckland.
They also had a chat with Maria Armoudian from UoA about the United States Midterm Elections
David, spoke to Kate Turska from Mahi from Ukraine about the success of the Ukrainian special visa.
He also had a chat with Leon Goldsmith from the University of Otago about Qatar hosting the football world cup, and NZ Herald sports journalist Michael Burgess about sportswashing
The Football World Cup kicks off in Qatar at the end of this month.
While this is the first time a Middle Eastern country has hosted such an event, the tournament has been shrouded in controversy with grave examples of human rights abuses being committed.
David spoke to University of Otago Politics Professor Leon Goldsmith about a nation like Qatar hosting the world’s biggest sporting event.
The United States Midterm Election Results are still unclear, with the states of Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia still counting votes.
Whilst a major Republican win was expected, President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party surprisingly held their ground and overturned a seat in Pennsylvania.
The major parties are still neck and neck in the House, with a twenty seat lead to the GOP in the senate at time of broadcast.
The results have been particularly negative for former president Donald Trump, who was planning to begin his 2024 presidential campaign before the underwhelming results came in and made him reportedly livid.
To learn more, Liam spoke to UoA professor Maria Armoudian.
In March this year, the government announced a special Ukrainian policy that allowed Ukrainian New Zealanders to sponsor family members to come to New Zealand.
However, the policy has not been as successful as many hoped as visa recipients are struggling to set up new lives here and has even led to some returning home.
David spoke to Kate Turska from the organisation Mahi for Ukraine about what has happened to Ukrainians who arrived here and how New Zealanders can help them.
Welcome to The Wire for this Rāpare, Thursday! This week, Tuva'a has his weekly catch-up with Labour's Andrew Little, and Milly speaks to Sarah Sneyd from Alcohol Watch about the proposed harm reduction bill. Stella speaks to Marsden Fund recipients Julia De Bres (for research into supporting transgender youth) and Dr Nick Mortimer (about the toughness of pounamu). Stella also speaks to Jennifer Curtin about the impact the Black Ferns in raising the profile of women's rugby. She also speaks to Jenni Adams about the IceCube Collaboration- revealing more about nearby galaxies.
Stella speaks to University of Canterbury physicist Jenni Adams about the university's involvement with IceCube Collaboration, a project that uses polar ice to research neutrino and multimessenger astronomy.
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
95bFM 
