Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Sara Mckoy, Max Micheel, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Labour’s Andrew Little about creating a single cybersecurity agency, the government’s $15 million pledge to restore the St James Theatre, and a review of weather forecasting systems.
Hanna Thompson spoke to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about youth justice.
Nicholas Lindstrom talked to Auckland University Students' Association President Alan Shaker about AUSA elections, the upcoming AUSA Annual General Meeting, and calls for a universal study wage.
Olivia Bing speaks to the Green Party’s Golriz Ghahraman about their calls for affordable dental care.
And Beth Torrance-Hetherington spoke to Principal Planner for the Rapid Transit Network at Auckland Transport, Luke Elliott, about the draft Regional Public Transport plan.
The Labour government announced last week that it will make ram-raiding its own criminal offence and build two new Youth Justice residences. We thus enter an election season where both major parties converge on using 'tough on crime' measures on rangatahi.
Hanna spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about why the party does not endorse Labour's policies even though they claim to have a more rehabilitative focus than National's, their strong opposition to placing rangatahi in carceral institutions, addressing the systemic drivers behind youth offending through community integration and manaakitanga, and what space Te Pāti Māori have to push their policies when both Labour and National agree on punitive approaches to youth offending.
Welcome to the Tuesday Wire with Milly and Rosetta!
This week:
For Dear Science, Davide joins Milly and Rosetta to talk plants, cicadas and why you might be more attracted to your look alikes
For our weekly catch up with the National Party, Milly talks falling mathematics achievement and Nationals education plans as well as National’s recent commentary on the Labour Party’s approach to crime
Milly also speaks to Anusha Guler Electoral Commission’s Deputy Chief Executive Operations, about job opportunities in the upcoming election
Rosetta spoke to Geoff Key, strategic advisor at Forest and Bird, about what parties should be doing for climate change ahead of the election
She also spoke to Jacqui Southey, Child rights Advocacy and Research Director at Save the Children, about involving children in the election process.
Forest and Bird Aotearoa is calling on parties to announce more policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, following the release of data from Statistics New Zealand about emissions over the course of 2022. The organisation says that while a downward trend is shown, it is not enough, and is urging people to vote accordingly.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke to Geoff Keey, strategic advisor for Forest and Bird, about what they want to see from parties towards the election, and about the Climate Shift initiative to guide climate policy.
Save The Children is making an effort to better inform children about the voting process, and encouraging communities to better include their voices in politics. The organisation held a true-to-life voting experience for tamariki over the weekend, at Tāmaki Makaurau's Kids Only Market, where children were encouraged to voice the issues they want covered by the government.
Wire producer Rosetta spoke to Jacqui Southey, Child Rights Advocacy and Research Director for Save The Children, about what the voting experiece entailed, and the importance of involving children in politics.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly has her weekly catchup with Dr Shane Reti of the National Party where they talk about crime rates and falling numeracy rates in students.
According to new research, Māori are a third more likely to be admitted to hospital with treatment injuries because of healthcare complications than non-Māori.
Research conducted at a similar time also found Māori were less likely to have access to heart failure medications.
Caeden spoke to report co-author and Pharmacist Dr Joanna Hikaka (Ngāruahine) about the report’s findings.
They also spoke to Hariata Vercoe from the Korowai Aroha Health Centre about the context of these barriers and solutions. Caeden started by asking for her perspective on the research.
On Sunday the Government announced they would match Auckland Council’s $15 million for restoration of the St James Theatre in Central Auckland.
Caeden spoke to Central Auckland MP Chlöe Swarbrick about the significance of the theatre and the benefit it will have for the public given the public funding going into the restoration.
From Dec 27 to Jan 18, all train lines across Tāmaki will be shutting down for summer maintenance, a closure which is expected to be the last of its kind ahead of the opening of the City Rail Link.
The current measles outbreak in Tāmaki is being continually monitored, with exposure sites being updated daily on info.health.nz. The public are encouraged to track whether they’ve been in possible contact with the virus, and get up to date on any vaccinations to limit possibilities of transmission.
Auckland Council are supporting arts initiatives across the summer months, with Music in the Park kicking off in early January, and Movies in the Park following in February.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about these topics, and also asked for comment following the attack by two gunmen at Bondi Beach earlier this week.
Yesterday, the latest six-monthly survey of housing support providers under the National Homelessness Data Project, or NHDP, showed that homelessness in Auckland has more than doubled in the year to September. The report also found that 14 of the 21 agencies interviewed reported an increase in homelessness.
As well as this, Australia’s ban on social media for children under 16 has taken effect. And according to an interim report into social media harm, a social media ban for children in New Zealand is worth exploring further.
And last week the Government announced the replacement of the Resource Management Act, or RMA. The coalition said its replacement will slash red tape and supercharge growth.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the Government’s new RMA reforms and a potential social media ban in New Zealand.
But first they discussed the latest report on Auckland homelessness.
The Parliament’s Workforce and Education Committee has released an interim report on an inquiry into the harm young New Zealanders face online. The government has recently announced an overhaul of the Resource Management Act and introduced two new bills in its place, the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill.
For our weekly catch-up with the National Party, Producer Vihan spoke to MP Carl Bates, who is also the Deputy Chairperson of the Workforce and Education Committee, about the new findings of the interim report, the new Natural Environment Bill, and the Fast Track Approval Amendments Bill.
The government has announced the overhaul of the Resource Management Act (RMA), which will be replaced by two different bills, the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. The RMA is set to be fully replaced by 2029.
The RMA, which has been in effect for 34 years, is polarising across the political spectrum.
In announcing the reforms, RMA Reform Minister, Chris Bishop, says that “pretty much everything” will be quicker and less costly under the new regime.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about this overhaul of the RMA.
They also discussed The Education and Workforce Committee’s interim report on the harms young people experience online, with a majority recommending a ban on social media for under-16-year-olds.
But first, they discussed the overhaul of the RMA.
On Sunday, “Block the Ban” held a protest against the government’s decision to ban new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria.
The United Nations’ committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination has released a report warning that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights.
And last week, the government rejected the recommended methane emissions targets.
This is despite officials warning against the government doing so, stating that lowering methane emissions targets could increase New Zealand’s contribution to global warming.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.
Safety measures on public transport are of growing concern this week following the fatal and unprovoked attack that took place on route 76 in East Tāmkaki on Monday night.
Earlier this week there were also multiple critical incidents that occurred simultaneously across Auckland’s West Coast beaches and waterways, seeing an unusually high deployment of emergency services and surf lifesavers for this early in the summer.
Swedish home and furniture retailer Ikea opened in Sylvia Park a week ago today, drawing huge excitement for many.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about these topics.
Last week was scrutiny week, where Parliament focuses entirely on holding government agencies and ministers to account, to check-in on how well the Government is performing.
Many of the questions surrounding scrutiny week have been focused on climate change, with many recent reports highlighting the Government’s questionable decision-making.. The biggest headline was that the coalition had chosen to reject all three of the climate change commission’s recommendations to strengthen New Zealand’s emissions targets.
Along with this, the United Nations released a new report, where they’ve warned that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights and entrenching disparities for the indigenous population. In the 14-page report, the UN expressed concerns over multiple government policies affecting Maori, including the disestablishment of the Maori Health Authority, cuts to public funding for Maori services, and minimising the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the report released by the United Nations, but first they discussed Scrutiny Week and the Government’s recent climate change decisions.
The government is pausing the new prescriptions of Puberty Blockers to gender diverse and transgender young people from the 19th of December onwards, following a similar move by the UK after the results of the NHS’s Cass Review.
Wire Producer Flo spoke to activist Lauren Craig about the effects of the legislation, her petition “Reverse the decision to deny transgender and takatāpui young people access to puberty blockers” against the changes and the wider political motivation for the policy.
If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here
The biannual Scrutiny Week took place in Parliament last week, with meetings across select committees and government departments focussed on scrutinising the outcomes of government work.
These include hearings on ministries like Health, Housing, Environment and Justice.
Wire Host Sara spoke to National MP Carl Bates about Scrutiny Week, firstly by asking him to talk about the meetings he was involved in
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