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.
Alzheimers NZ is appalled that as many as 30,000 New Zealanders with dementia and around as many care partners can’t get the post-diagnostic community support they need. The latest World Alzheimer Report, which was released last night, by Alzheimer’s Disease International, says the lack of post-diagnostic care for people living with dementia is a global problem.
Joe spoke to Alzheimer NZ Chief Executive Catherine Hall on the matter.
As per usual, Tuva’a brings us our regular chat with Labour's Andrew Little.
Joe speaks to Mohamed Elkharboutly from Massey University about traditional knowledge being the key to building cyclone-resistant homes in Fiji. Joe also talks to the Chief Executive of Alzheimers NZ, Catherine Hall, about global research indicating concerns in Alzheimers post diagnostic care.
Frances brings us Greendesk! She speaks to CEO Heather Saunderson from Keep New Zealand Beautiful about Clean Up Week.
Joe also speaks to SAFE for Animals CEO Debra Ashton about new data revealing the failure of the international live export trade to protect New Zealand’s animals.
Content warning: this next story contains details of rape and sexual assault.
Christina sat down with Layba Zubair to talk about her petition to reform consent laws in Aotearoa, which had received 12,000 signatures by the time it closed and will now head to Parliament.
Voting for this year’s local body elections has begun, which is bringing increasing scrutiny to the issue of voter engagement.
Particularly for young people, Maori and Pasifika, but also for the general population, voter participation in local elections is relatively low and on the decline.
In regards to next year’s national election, the Independant Electoral Review Panel has begun seeking public input on potential changes to the electoral system that could benefit New Zealand’s democracy.
For Casper's weekly catch-up with National MP Dr Shane Reti, they discussed this topic of voter engagement as well as what might be expected from this electoral review and which changes he might believe to be useful.
Newly elected Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell came under scrutiny last month after Stuff revealed he had been involved in a serious assault on a 13-year-old boy when he was a student at King's College. Later, his female flatmate from when he was attending Otago University came forward with allegations of threatening and abusive behaviour.
Uffindell was suspended from caucus while an independent inquiry by Maria Dew KC took place. On Monday, National announced the findings of the investigation: aside from the King's College incident, the other bullying allegations were unsubstantiated.
For her analysis on the affair and how it was handled by National, Christina spoke to political commentator Dr Lara Greaves.
Hundreds of endangered sea turtles have been caught in New Zealand’s commercial fisheries since 2002, according to a recent report released by the Department of Conservation (DOC).
At least 80% of those turtles that are caught are leatherback turtles, most likely from their western Pacific subpopulation which is considered critically endangered. The captures occur overwhelmingly in the surface longline fishery off the east coast of the North Island.
I spoke to Ingrid O’Sullivan, a Senior Adviser of Environmental Law at Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, on the matter.
This week on the show Joe speaks to Ingrid O’Sullivan, a Senior Adviser in Environmental Law at Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, about turtle bycatch mitigation. He also speaks to Wayne Macpherson from Massey University about how employers can improve workplace flexibility.
Trishil speaks to Darrin Bull from ADHD New Zealand about the ADHD healthcare improvements.
And Stella and Isla speak with Rebecca Trelease about Reality TV and Audience Psychology for our regular fortnightly segment, Tomorrow's World!
Various institutions have met and agreed to start work looking into potential changes that could improve access to medicine and treatment for people with Mate Mauri Rere, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), in Aotearoa.
Representatives from Pharmac, Police and Te Whatu Ora, along with professional medical colleges, the DHBs and the Ministry of Health met with ADHD New Zealand and Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick last month in a hui where six priorities were identified for improvement
Trishil spoke to Darrin Bull from ADHD New Zealand to get his thoughts on the matter.
A recent report from the University of Auckland has been analysing mental health issues that can plague mothers and pregnant people before, during and after birth.
This highlights the intergenerational cycles of perinatal distress, and how it can cause health problems for the children themselves.
The research has also highlighted how Māori, Asian and Pasifika people are disproportionately affected by perinatal distress.
Liam spoke to Felicia Low, who worked on the study, about what Aotearoa needs to do to see maternal mental health better supported.
Earlier this week the City Rail Link reached a milestone, breaking through the end of its final tunnel.
The tunnel boring machine created space for the new rail system by breaking through fifteen metres of cement per day.
The machine was Named after Dame Whina Cooper, the Maori Rights activist who led the hikoi to parliament.
For this week’s segment of City Counselling, I had a chat with Shane Henderson about the City Rail Link milestone as well as the 2022 Mayoral conservation awards.
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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