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.
DNA analysis has uncovered the evolutionary history of New Zealand's kokako, huia and tieke saddlebacks.
Researchers from the University of Otago explored the origins of the wattlebirds by analysing their DNA and found the birds' ancestors arrived in New Zealand about 20 million years ago.
Joe spoke to Dr Nic Rawlence, from the Paleogenetics Lab at The University of Otago, on the matter.
Joe speaks to Lisa Woods, the Campaigns Director for Amnesty International about raising the age for criminal responsibility. Joe also speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the Paleogenetics Lab at The University of Otago about new research surrounding the evolution of the Wattlebird.
Trishil speaks to Professor Geoff Chase about his Research into AI driven emotional regulation training that will work to assist those with high-functioning autism with social blindness.
Finally, Isla and Stella look at Hormonal Birth Control and the Brain w/ Dr Rachel Sumner for this weeks Tomorrow's World.
The MBIE has granted $1.1 million in funding to University of Canterbury researchers to develop a hyper-realistic virtual therapy avatar to help high-functioning people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to better recognise emotions and reduce ‘social blindness’.
University of Canterbury Engineering researchers Distinguished Professor Geoff Chase and Lecturer Dr Lui Holder-Pearson have been awarded $1.1 million in funding through a partnership between MBIE and Soul Machines, an AI company in Auckland.
Their project, titled ‘AI-driven Two-Way, Feedback Controlled Emotional Recognition Training for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder’ combines three key elements:
Hyper-realistic and responsive avatars from Soul Machines Digital DNA Studio able to show detailed emotions
Computer vision to read subject emotional state, reaction rates in integrated tasks, stress levels (via heartrate, etc.), focus, and attention, incorporating critical subject feedback
Programmed standard, accepted therapeutic methods (behind the avatar) to respond to measured subject behaviour/actions
These technologies enable a virtualised true two-way therapeutic session, where current emotion recognition software has no subject feedback (is only one-way).
Trishil spoke to Professor Geoff Chase about his research and it’s potential.
Liam spoke to Shane Henderson on our regular city counselling segment about the Transporrt Emissions Reduction Pathway.
Liam also had a chat about the Human Rights Commission about their new conversion practices support services with the programmes manager, Andre Afamasaga.
Liam also spoke to Kellie Addison from Kea New Zealand, as well as Act MP James McDowall, about human capital flight and where the debate of the brain drain is coming from.
David has has a chat with Victoria Chen from Victoria University of Wellington on linguistics locating the beginnings of the Austronesian expansion.
As well as Stephen Judd from Fact Aotearoa on candidates bringing conspiracy theories into local elections.
As access to international travel from New Zealand re-opens, conversations about human capital flight have become incredibly prevalent.
More colloquially titled “Brain Drain”, human capital flight refers to white collar workers leaving their home country for better opportunities overseas.
Conversations have recently touched on if New Zealand is receiving and adequate amount of migrants to stop our workforce from suffering.
First, Liam spoke to ACTs James McFarland, on why his party thinks Human Capital Flight is an issue and what needs to be done.
In popular discussion, the focus of human capital flight has largely been on the negative impacts new zealanders leaving the country has.
Kea New Zealand is organised around keeping New Zealand expats connected to their country.
Liam also had a chat to their global communications director, Kellie Addison, about their network and the benefits of New Zealanders travelling abroad.
Kea is currently looking for particapants in a survery of Kiwis thinking about leaving Aotearoa in the next 12-18 months - if this sounds lik you, you can fill it out here: https://survey.keanewzealand.com/zs/XjBUJH
Yesterday the Human Rights Commission launched an expansion of their Conversion Practices Support Services.
The pre-existing programme now includes a proces where victims of conversion therapy cna work with the HRC to recieve a formal apology or financial support.
To learn more, Liam spoke to the programmes manager, Andre Afamasaga about the changes and what they mean.
A linguistic study has found an origin of Austronesian language expansion across the Indo-Pacific region.
Researchers have found the indigenous people called the Amis [ah-miss] people from Eastern Taiwan are a close relative of Malayo-Polynesian people in the Austronesian language family.
David spoke to Victoria University lecturer Victoria Chen about the findings.
This morning Stella spoke to Associate Professor Carolyn Gates from Massey University, and Dr Mary Van Andel, the chief veterinary officer at the Ministry for Primary Industries, about foot and mouth disease.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire! Today, Tuva’a has his regular catch-up with Labour’s Andrew Little, this week talking about security concerns with Tik Tok and a new cystic fibrosis medication. Green Desk is back as always, Frances updates us on the week’s environmental news.
Stella speaks to Associate Professor on veterinary epidemiology Carolyn Gates from Massey University about transmission mechanisms of foot and mouth disease. She also speaks to MPI’s chief veterinary officer Dr Mary Van Alden about what New Zealand’s plan is if the disease were to enter the country.
Stella speaks to the Green party’s spokesperson for education, Teanau Tuiono about the party’s calls for pay parity for early childhood teachers.
We finish the show with Stella chatting to a Research Assistant from the Manalagi Project, Allyssa Verner-Pula, about their work documenting the experiences of the LGBTQ+ Pasifika community in healthcare settings. AUSA provides a written comment about the current voting in student elections.
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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