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.
On this week’s regular segment in collaboration with OurActionStation, we’re discussing sand mining. Jessie Stanley, creator of the Stop Sand Mining On Pakiri Beach petition, spoke with Trishil today about the petiton, greenpeace's support, and how the ecosystem is threatened by this move
Auckland Central and Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick has launched a petition to pedestrianise Queen Street.
This comes ten years after the council signed off on the Auckland City Centre Master Plan with intentions to pedestrianise that has consistently faced barriers.
Although this could see benefits in returning foot traffic to queen street, some have commented on fears about lost sales from vehicle drivers and safety.
Liam spoke to Swarbrick, asking about why she thinks Tāmaki Makaurau could benefit from a carless Queen Street.
He also had a chat with Greg Harford from Retail NZ about some of the issues they think could arise without cars.
Stats NZ recently released GDP figures for the last quarter, which showed a 0.2% decline in the New Zealand economy compared to the previous quarter’s 3% rise.
However, this decline is not unique to New Zealand and has been identified in many developed economies across the world which have reported either a drop in GDP or a slow in growth.
Many top New Zealand economists, referencing this number and other cruical recent developments in the world economy, are now predicting an economic recession in the next year.
To get a better idea of what the numbers mean, and what an economic recession entails, Casper spoke to Dr Murat Üngör from the department of economics at the University of Otago.
On the Seventeenth of June, 1972, a group of burglars working underneath staff of the Nixon administration broke into the Democratic National Committee office in the Watergate Complex.
This began the defining political scandal of the 20th century, as Richard Nixon and his colleagues continuously tried to cover up their involvement.
This led to Nixon's impeachment and subsequent resignation in 1974, marking a major event in US history that set a precedent for how we can hold politicians to account across the world.
On the fiftieth anniversary, Liam spoke to University Of Canterbury Professor in American History, Peter FIeld, on the impact of Watergate and its presence in the current conversations on the January Sixth Capitol Riots.
This week on the Friday Wire Casper talked to Auckland city counsellor Pippa Coom about the council’s finances and recent controversy around cycleway spending, as well as Dr Murat Üngör from the University of Otago about the latest GDP figures and predicting economic recession.
Liam spoke to Auckland Central and Green Party member Chloe Swarbrick about her push to pedestrianise Queen street, as well as Greg Harford from Retail NZ to talk about his concerns.
He also discussed the watergate scandal with University of Canterbury's Peter Field to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the original break-in.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, E tū is celebrating their campaign to win Fair Pay Agreements for some of our lowest paid workers, including cleaners and security guards. The Fair Pay Agreements Bill is currently before Select Committee, and E tū members and supporters made over 1,000 written submissions in support of the bill.
While all submitters told their own story, some clear themes came through. Submitters were particularly concerned about low wages, the cost of living, health and safety, workplace stress, safe staffing levels, a lack of respect at work, hours of work, and the ‘race to the bottom’ which sees companies using low wages to stay competitive.
An E tū delegation also made an oral submission to the Select Committee on Monday.
Joe spoke to Amy Hansen, a team leader from E tū, on the matter.
Winter means a tough time for many in our city here in Auckland. With temperatures steadily dropping and the cost of living steadily rising, keeping warm and well-fed is a daily concern for many. Gratis is an initiative that takes leftover food from cafes around the city and helps to feed those who most need it in our cities. On the Wire this week, guest producer Frances Wright caught up with Team Leader Natalie Wendzich to talk about the initiative.
This week on the Thursday Wire! Emilia is away, so Frances is our Producer today.
Tuva’a speaks to Labour Party’s Andrew Little about a new National Bowel Screening, the New Baby Unit at Waitākere Hospital, and the record number of patients in the Emergency Department.
Joe will be speaking to Professor Warwick Bagg from the University of Auckland about increasing medical student places helping to address the medical practitioner shortage, he’ll also be talking to E tu about International Justice Day for Cleaners and Security workers. He’ll also be having a chat to the SPCA about their influx of puppies during Winter.
Frances keeps to the winter theme and talks to Natalie Wendzich about the Gratis initiative and their work providing meals for the Street Community in Auckland, and also talks to Edy Setyawan about his research discovering a nursery for manta rays in Indonesia.
After eight years of research, a rare manta-ray nursery has been confirmed in the Raja Ampat islands in Indonesia by a team of researchers at the University of Auckland. The team’s research is the most comprehensive description to date of the manta ray anywhere and is prompting the Indonesian government to take extra measures to protect the area. The species has a special link with manta rays that hang out in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland. On the Wire this week, guest producer Frances Wright chatted to Edy Setyawan about the rays, Steve Irwin, and his work on this research project.
Auckland university is eager to participate in workforce solutions, working with Health NZ and the Māori Health authority to expand the health workforce across the country, due to shortages in medical.
Today Joe spoke to Professor Warwick Bagg, the Deputy Dean for the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences Administration at the University of Auckland. Warwick has been lobbying for many years for increased places within the medical sector for students to go to. They spoke about how an increase in student medical places could help address shortages in medical staff.
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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