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.
The government's decision to lift most Covid-19 public health measures has raised concerns about the risks to vulnerable communities.
With a lack of mask restrictions and vaccination requirements in health systems, people who are immuno-compromised could be at much greater risk for having a negative reaction to Covid infection.
The Green Party in particular have been critical of the government's decision, highlighting how long covid and deaths from the disease continue to be prevalent.
To learn more, David Liwei Shi had a chat with the party's Teanau Toiono about the risks.
E whai ake nei, coming up on the Friday Wire, Liam had a chat with Christina Ammunson from Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori about the goal of having one million basic speakers of Te Reo in Aotearoa by 2040.
Casper continued his chats with mayoral Candidates, today, he spoke to Gary Brown.
Liam also spoke to Shane Henderson about the City Rail Link and the 2022 Mayoral Conservation awards for City Counselling.
David Liwei Shi had a chat with Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono about how a lack of mask mandates put vulnerable communities at risk.
And finally, Liam spoke with Felicia Low from the University of Auckland about perinatal mental distress.
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.
This is the full version of Casper’s interview with Auckland mayoral candidate Efeso Collins, of which an abbreviated segment was played on the Thursday Wire.
Efeso Collins is currently a councillor for the Manukau Ward, and his campaign for mayor has been endorsed by Labour, the Greens, and the similarly aligned local body group city vision. His flagship campaign policy is making Auckland's public transport fees-free.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire! Today, Stella speaks to Cameron Leakey, Master of Public Health student at UoA, about his recent attendance at an international conference regarding a sustainable workforce for sexual health. Frances brings us Greendesk, speaking to Jess from Reparation Studio about Aotearoa’s garment industry. Casper continues his interviews with mayoral candidates, today it’s Efeso Collins. Tuva’a speaks to Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni. Finally, Stella speaks to Anna Radford from Honour The Maunga, and Paul Majurey from the Tupuna Maunga Authority, to get each group’s perspectives on land management for volcanic cones in Tāmaki Makaurau.
On this week’s installation of Eurovision, Emilia speaks to our European correspondent Cameron Adams about the war in Ukraine, elections throughout Europe, and more.
The International Seabed Authority has granted permission for Canadian corporation The Metals Company to mine the sea floor in the Eastern Pacific, a move which Greenpeace sez signals the beginning of a new and destructive extractive industry that will place profit before people and biodiversity, threatening ocean health and people’s way of life.
To chat about the ISA’s decision, as well as what impacts deep sea mining could have on surrounding communities, Emilia spoke to Greenpeace Aotearoa’s seabed mining campaigner James Hita.
Casper speaks to Brooke van Velden about the end of the traffic light system in our weekly chat with the ACT Party deputy leader.
Emilia speaks with Liam Rutherford from NZEI Te Riu Roa about their calls to increase funding for te reo in education.
She'll also be chatting to James Hita from Greenpeace about the International Seabed Authority greenlighting deep sea mining in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Once again today we have another interview from Casper with Auckland’s Mayoral hopefuls; today he’ll be chatting with Craig Lord.
And finally, Emilia will be chatting to our European correspondent Cameron Adams on Eurovision about the war in Ukraine, elections in Sweden and Montenegro and more.
That's us for the Wednesday Wire! Enjoy Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori!
This is the full version of Casper’s interview with Auckland mayoral candidate Craig Lord, of which an abbreviated segment was played on the Wednesday Wire.
Craig Lord is a freelance media operator and former engineer, and is campaigning on a platform of overhauling council bureaucracy and council-controlled organisations and turning Auckland's CBD into a civic district.
Yesterday the government announced the scrapping of the traffic light covid-19 protection framework, as well as the easing of many key restrictions.
Mask wearing will now no longer be required outside of healthcare settings, household contacts don’t need to isolate and all vaccine mandates will cease at the end of the month.
In the same announcement the government dedicated a one-off public holiday to honour the passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
For Casper's regular interview with National MP Dr Shane Reti they spoke about this announcement and how it has been received by the National party.
Casper started off by asking him how he felt about the announced changes and whether there is anything he would have done differently.
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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