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.
A massive study has been undertaken involving tens of thousands of accounting questions across hundreds of university campuses. These questions were fed into ChatGPT AI software, and the answers marked by the professors as though they were student’s answers.
The results were quite astonishing.
Arno spoke to Ruth Dimes, Business masters programme director at the University of Auckland, to find out more about the study and to see how real humans stack up against our AI counterparts. Arno started by asking about the aims of the study.
This week marks the start of the second term of the school year for students across Aotearoa.
For education staff it means a return to roles that are often undervalued in our society.
An often under represented group in education reform action, principals across the country have started a work-ban this week.
The ban seeks to highlight the work Principals do and to garner some recognition from the ministry of education.
Nicholas Lindstrom sat down with Lynda Stuart, lead negotiator for the New Zealand Institute of Education about the work-ban and how the government can better support principals.
Yesterday a protest happened in Mission Bay to call for an end to bottom trawling in the Tīkapa Moana Hauraki Gulf.
Bottom trawling is the dragging of heavy weighted nets across the sea floor to catch fish. It's used frequently by commercial fisheries as it's easier to catch fish in larger quantities.
Caeden spoke to Bianca Ranson (Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa, Ngāpuhi), Forest & Bird's Hauraki Gulf Coordinator, on the protest and why bottom trawling needs to be banned.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins chatted to ACT’s Karen Chhour about annual inflation, National's agriculture policy, and a review of the 2022 parliament occupation.
Otago University Students’ Association President Quntin Jane about large-scale redundancies expected at the University.
And founder of Consent Law Reform NZ and Auckland University Students’ Association Women's Rights Officer Layba Zubair about their continued calls for consent laws in Aotearoa to be re-assessed.
Caeden Tipler spoke to Bianca Ranson about Sunday’s protest to call for a ban on bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf.
Nicholas talked to New Zealand Education Institute Lead Negotiator Lynda Stuart about the principal’s work ban taking place across Aotearoa.
For their weekly catch-up, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about the annual inflation rate, National's recently launched agriculture policy, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority's review into the 2022 parliament occupation.
Founder of Consent Law Reform NZ and Auckland University Students’ Association Women's Rights Officer Layba Zubair is calling on the government to reassess Aotearoa’s consent laws.
The NZ Crimes Act 1961 currently only defines in what circumstances a person cannot give consent.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Zubair about why Aotearoa needs a clear definition of consent, and their plans to make an oral submission to the Justice Committee on 4 May.
The University of Otago, has told staff to expect large-scale redundancies and warned that hundreds could lose their jobs over the next 18 months.
News and Editroial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Otago University Students’ Association President Quintin Jane about these proposed redundancies and how they would impact students.
After weeks of action from teacher unions, Minister of Education Jan Tinetti has announced a plan to reduce classroom ratios for Year 4-8 classes. Spike speaks to the head of the New Zealand Education Institute Mark Potter about the announcement and what more needs to be done.
Crescent Under The Southern Cross is a short documentary that tells the story of four muslim men who fought in the Australian Defence Forces in World War Two. Dr Simon Wilmot directed and produced the documentary and in this two part interview he talks in depth about how these men ended up in Australia, the immigration policies that they faced at the time, the role they played in the war, as well as why it is important to tell their stories. In part one Dr. Wilmot discusses how these men arrived in Australia, how they ended up in the Defence Forces, and the important missions they were involved in.
Tune in next week for part two where he talks about how these men were received when they arrived back in Australia after the war, as well as the implications of the white Australia immigration policy that was in force at the time, and why this story is an important part of Australian history.
- NZEI head Mark Potter about the new classroom ratio announcement
- Professor Margaret Mutu about tino rangatiratanga and the effort to undermine Te Tiriti
- and Greenpeace campaigner Ellie Hooper about bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf
Simon speaks to:
- Councillor Shane Henderson about the flood response report, West Coast beaches and AT's parking strategy
- Associate Professor Margaret Stanley about wallaby population control in Otago
- and Dr. Simon Wilmot about his new documentary documenting the stories of four Muslim ANZAC soldiers
and on Eurovision:
- David speaks to our European correspondent Cameron Adams about the state of the Ukraine war, Germany legalising cannabis, the fallout of French pension reforms, and the ESA sending a probe to one of Jupiter's moons
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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