Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Jessica Hopkins, Castor Chacko, Nicholas Lindstrom, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
In December of 2023, the government passed legislation to fully reinstate 90-day trials for employers, which was campaigned for by both National and ACT in the lead up to the election. The policy means that employees can be dismissed within 90 days of starting work without a given reason. Migrant workers are proving to be disproportionately affected by reforms in the employment sector. Just in the past week, A group of ten migrant workers, previously employed by S.E.A.L. Security have been made redundant months into their three-year employment agreement, after paying up to 70,000 dollars to secure employment in Aotearoa. Etū, one of the largest worker advocacy groups and unions in the country, has expressed serious concern about what new policies in the employement sector will mean for these workers.
Rosetta spoke to Director at Etū Georgie Dansey about what 90-day trials and the repeal of Fair Pay Agreements will mean for our most vulnerable Migrant Workers.
For our weekly catch-up with Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni, Caeden asked about the mood at Rātana and the expected mood at Waitangi, as well as the lack of MPs from the Pacific in this government.
Neighbours Aotearoa is a community organisation that promotes fostering connections between neighbours and strengthening communities.
While the organisation operates all year round, Neighbours Aotearoa is particularly focused on the month of March, where they encourage people to get out and engage with their community.
Producer Castor spoke to Lucette Hindin, a Lead Connector for Neighbours Aotearoa, about the benefits of community and their upcoming March initiative.
Following coalition talks late last year, the new National led coalition government has proposed repealing anti-smoking legislation. In their statements and arguments supporting this position, they have repeatedly used common talking points from the tobacco industry.
A report released today by the Public Health Community Centre Aotearoa has highlighted this connection, and calls for our leading politicians to be more transparent about any connections they might have to the tobacco industry
Producer Castor spoke to the University of Otago’s Professor Janet Hoek about the influence of the tobacco industry on politics in Aotearoa.
The Wire is starting a new segment focused on deep diving into global human rights issues from Aotearoa to the world.
For the first edition Caeden focused on Aotearoa’s international law obligations to Palestine following the International Court of Justice ruling. First they spoke to University of Auckland Lecturer and International Law Expert Dr Treasa Dunworth.
They then spoke to Palestine Solidarity Network’s John Minto.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about Rātana and Pacific representation in government.
They also spoke to University of Auckland Lecturer Dr Treasa Dunworth and Palestine Solidairty Network’s John Minto about New Zealand’s obligation following the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel-Palestine.
Castor spoke to Lucette Hindin, a Lead Connector for Neighbours Aotearoa, about their yearly community initiative.
He also spoke to Professor Janet Hoek from the University of Otago about the influence of the tobacco industry on New Zealand politics.
Amnesty International has condemned the recent execution of Kenneth Smith in the US State of Alabama, and is calling for a complete moratorium on use of the death penalty.
As part of its Write for Rights Campaign, where every year people from 170 countries take action by writing letters, signing petitions, and more to call on governments to challenge injustices, Amnesty International is calling for another looming death penalty case in Alabama to be stopped.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Amnesty International Aotearoa, Senior Campaigner, David Vega about this.
News and editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Amnesty International Aotearoa Senior Campaigner, David Vega about their opposition to recent executions in the US state of Alabama.
Lawyer Roimata Smail (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui, English, Scottish, Irish descent) about her new educational resource, ‘Understanding Te Tiriti – a handbook about Te Tiriti o Waitangi’.
She chatted to the co-founders of Petitions for Peace, a platform that allows people to sign multiple petitions at once, urging for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
For Get Action! she interviewed community organiser and advocate in healthcare, education, and social work, and founder of Paid Placements Aotearoa, Bex Howells about her calls to address long-term workforce shortages by funding student placements.
And she spoke to Head of Operations at PD Pet Insurance Sheryl Atkins about pet oral health and how pet owners can save money.
‘Understanding Te Tiriti – a handbook about Te Tiriti o Waitangi’ is a new guide created by lawyer Roimata Smail (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui, English, Scottish, Irish descent).
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Smail about the handbook and what she hopes people take away from it.
She started off by asking Smail about her background as a legal counsel in the Waitangi Tribunal and in creating educational resources about Te Tiriti.
The coalition government has made changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, including allowing landlords to charge an additional bond of up to two weeks rent on top of the standard bond of up to four weeks, if a tenant wishes to have a pet on the property.
No-cause evictions have also been reintroduced, allowing landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason, provided they give them 90 days notice.
For our weekly interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about these changes.
Disability communities have been rallying against a surprise change in purchasing rules in the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha. Communities have said the changes will have massive impact, despite no consultation on these changes or a formal announcement.
The Department of Conversation also recently proposed staffing cuts to meet funding demands. DoC controls a third of Aotearoa’s landmass which is all conservation land. It remains uncertain how job losses in the Ministry could impact conservation land management.
For weekly catch-up with the Labour party Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour spokesperson for Disability Issues and Conservation Priyanca Rahdakrishnan about both of these issues.
For our weekly interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about the government’s proposal to increase student attendance rates and his post on X last week, in which he stated he stands with Israel.
A proposal to merge the Ōtara-Papatoetoe and Māngere-Ōtāhuhu local boards has been met with criticism, with consultation opening at the end of next month.
A new report has also been released on the quality of living in Tāmaki Makaurau with our city receiving mixed results by scoring high on some areas (the environment), and lower on others (education).
Wire Host Caeden speaks to Counsellor Lotu Fuli about both these topics for City Counselling.
The Ministry of Social Development is not immune to job cuts seen in other public service departments, with MSD calling for voluntary redundancies after cost-saving efforts failed to meet Government targets. For our weekly catch-up with Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni Wire Host Caeden asks her about the impact of cuts at MSD, especially amongst other Government policies disadvantaging beneficiaries.
They also ask about the Samoan Citizenship Bill led by Teanau Tuiono, and the impact of losing independent media giants such as Newshub for democracy.
For this week's Get Action! Sofia spoke to petitioner Abdul Safi and his campaign to place sanctions on Israel amidst genocidal acts that are widely considered war crimes.
If you want to sign this petition, you can find it here:
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