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.
In a dramatic shift at the United Nations oceans conference in Lisbon this week, a series of Pacific Governments have formed an alliance to oppose deep sea mining in international waters but Greenpeace says the continued silence from the New Zealand Government on the issue is deafening.
To standing ovations, a series of Pacific nations including Fiji and Samoa joined an alliance opposing deep sea mining announced by Palau on Monday. Adding to the momentum, the following day, Tuvalu, Tonga, and Guam announced their support for a halt to deep sea mining and France is now also calling for a legal and robust framework to ban deep sea mining in the high seas. But to date, the New Zealand Government has not formed a position on the issue.
Joe spoke to James Hita, part of the Deep Seabed and Mining Campaign at Greenpeace Aotearoa on the matter.
Plastic Free July has rolled around again and we’ll all be hearing about reducing plastic use in our daily lives. Much of the messaging is targeted toward young people through school and youth-focused messaging. However, within our sustainability efforts, we must also look at how we can conduct real change and look at the worst plastic producers around the globe, as well as how New Zealand can improve their efforts.
Joe spoke to Sara Tolbert, Associate Professor of Science and Environmental Education at the University of Canterbury, on the matter
The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Harm Minimisation Amendment Bill, introduced by Green Party Drug Reform Spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick, seeks to overhaul the state of alcohol awareness and advertising in New Zealand. The bill will also allow local councils to control policies that affect their communities.
Trishil spoke with Chlöe Swarbrick and Alcohol Healthwatch Executive Director Dr Nicki Jackson about the provisions of the bill, including the establishment of Local Alcohol Policies and restrictions of Sponsorships and Advertising.
On this week’s regular segment in collaboration with OurActionStation, we’re discussing the pay gap and disparity between women and ethnic communities. Nina Santos, Delivery Manager of MindThatGap, spoke with Trishil today about the petiton, and their push to gain governmental support and instituite a mandatory pay registry
Joe speaks to Sara Tolbert, Associate Professor of Science and Environmental Education at the University of Canterbury, about Plastic Free July. He also talks James Hita from Greenpeace about New Zealand’s silence surrounding deep sea mining.
Trishil speaks to Nina Santos from MindTheGap for regular segment with OurActionStation. They talk about their mission to ensure that the pay gap is closed for women and ethnic communities. Trishil also speaks to the Green Party's Drug Reform Spokesperson Chloe Swarbrick and Dr Nicki Jackson from Alcohol HealthWatch about the Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill.
Another stacked and varied show on this Fridays Wire! Today:
Liam spoke with councillor Richard Hills about the positive new report on Kauri Dieback in the Waitakere Ranges on City Counselling.
They also had a chat with UoAs Stephen Hoadley about the new NZ EU trade deal.
Frances spoke to Sarah McFadden, the GM of Kelmarna Gardens in Ponsonby about regenerative local food systems.
Liam also spoke with Liam Mcllvanney from UoO on Scottish independence.
And finally Alejandra Perotti from the University of Reading on the possible extinction of tiny mites that have sex on your face as a part of our newest segment, Strangest Things!
Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has proposed a referendum date for Scots to vote on their independence from the United Kingdom - the 19th of October, 2023.
However despite UK PM Boris Johnson saying now is not the time, Sturgeon says they will run the referendum regardless by having her party run on the sole issue of independence.
The last referendum vote on this issue took place in 2014, but commentators have pointed out the major shift in the UK landscape since due to Brexit.
To learn more, Liam spoke to the University of Otago’s Liam Mcllvanney ,first asking why some Scots are pushing for independence and what's getting in their way.
The Government must move faster to close gender and ethnic pay gaps if it wants to help people who are struggling with low wages due to discrimination, says MindTheGap.
On Tuesday in Parliament, the Government published its response to the Education and Workforce Select Committee inquiry into pay transparency.
The national pay gap is 9.1% but it is a lot higher in many companies. On average it means for every dollar a Pākehā man earns, a Pākehā woman earns 89 cents, a Māori woman 81 cents and a Pasifika woman 75 cents
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Jo Cribb, founder of MindTheGap.
Our weekly chat with the health minister Andrew Little is back! Tuva’a Clifton speaks to Little about the new investment into harm reduction for gambling, as well as free flu jabs being expanded to children and people with mental health issues, and how the flu is straining our hospitals.
Emilia Sullivan speaks to the University of Auckland team who won an award for their system to help med students report bullying and unprofessional behaviour on clinical placements.
She'll also be chatting to Jo Cribb from MindTheGap about their calls for the government to act more urgently to close gender and ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand.
And she also chats with with Dr. Maria Armoudian from the University of Auckland about yesterday’s surprise January 6th hearing into the insurrection at the U.S Capitol.
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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