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 looks at Local Government New Zealand’s call for a review of local government elections. He speaks Bonita Bigham, Chair of Te Maruata at LGNZ on the matter.
Spike will dive into cannabis decriminalisation here in Aotearoa, following Joe Biden’s pardoning of thousands of Americans who were convicted due to cannabis possession.
Joe also look at the current state of our water infrastructures in Aotearoa New Zealand, he speaks to Dr Lokesh P. Padhye, Senior Lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering at The University of Auckland.
Finally, Joe speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the Paleogenetics Lab at the University of Otago about the recent discovery of Pterosaur-like creatures in Scotland.
We’ll be looking at what's happening behind the scenes when drinking water gets to our taps or our wastewater is discharged – and how might climate change get in the way.
Joe spoke to Dr Lokesh P. Padhye, Senior Lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering at The University of Auckland about his thoughts on what needs to be done to address the issues within our water infrastructure.
Local Government New Zealand ran a multi-faceted campaign to increase the diversity of candidates as well as voter turnout this year, but preliminary results still indicate there is a massive gap to bridge between turnout for local elections compared with central government elections.
LGNZ says “To make a real difference, however, it will require a deliberate effort by councils and communities to better engage with each other in the decisions councils are making, so voters feel more connected to local government, as well as making the process of voting easier."
Joe is joined by Bonita Bigham, Chair of Te Maruata at LGNZ, to speak on the matter.
Announcements that government finances are in a healthier state than expected have renewed calls from National and ACT to implement tax cuts.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson said on Wednesday that books are better thanks to higher taxes and lower spending on Covid-19 support.
A large reason why the government has received more income from taxes is due to revitalisations in the economy seeing more income gained from the goods and services tax.
Regardless, the opposition parties have stated that high taxes are a major contributor to New Zealand's ongoing cost of living crisis.
These calls came days after the United Kingdom had been put through economic turmoil after prime minister Liz Truss called for tax cuts for the rich, seeing the pound reach a record low value against the dollar.
This, alongside other factors, has caused Labour and Green to call the concept of tax cuts absurd.
Liam had a chat to Green Party finance spokesperson Julie Anne Genter and ACT Party Leader/finance spokesperson David Seymour about their opinions on cutting back taxes, but first they spoke to University of Canterbury economics and taxation professor Adrian Sawyer to help frame the conversation.
The tide of the war in Ukraine has turned and Russia forces are currently on the retreat across the Eastern part of Ukraine.
During the recent ceremonies announcing the illegal annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, Vladimir Putin promised to defend these areas “by any means necessary”
Many analysts think that may include nuclear weapons.
David spoke to Waikato University Professor Alexander Gillespie about whether Putin is serious and what would happen if he does use them.
Today we have a package covering the oppositions recent calls for tax cuts.
Liam spoken to Green party finance spokesperson Julie Anne Genter and ACT Party Leader slash finance spokesperson David Seymour about their opinions on cutting back taxes
Liam also spoke to University of Canterbury economics and taxation professor Adrian Sawyer to help frame the conversation.
Liam also has his regular chat with City Councillor Pippa Coom, to chat about the final day of the local election voting.
David spoke to Waikato University Professor Alexander Gillespie about Vladimir Putin’s nuclear weapons threats.
David also spoke to Maritime Union General Secretary Craig Harrison about privatising Ports of Auckland
Tuva’a who speaks to the Health Minister, Labour's Andrew Little in their weekly catch-up, today discussing pay differences for GP vs hospital doctor trainees.
This week on the show Stella speaks to geopolitical analyst from The Democracy Project, Geoffrey Miller, about Aotearoa’s formal response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine. We’ve got our regular segment with Andrew Little brought to us by Tuva’a. Stella speaks to Annie West, a doctoral candidate at the University of Auckland about her research on Kākāpō gut microbiomes. Stella also speaks to Cate Macinnis-Ng about her co authorship of a new study showing that termites may play a pivotal role in climate change. Finally, News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Auckland Transport Metro Services Manager Derek Koper about filling bus driver shortages in preparation for Auckland's rail network rebuild.
Russia has recently announced their annexation of Ukrainian territory, but the move has been deemed illegal, and condemned by many actors. Aotearoa has joined the chorus of condemnation this week. Stella speaks to Geoffrey Miller, a geopolitical analyst from The Democracy Project, about the significance of our nation’s response.
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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