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.
Towns and cities across Aotearoa will be lighting up their landmarks and prominent buildings in pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October.
Joe spoke to Ah-Leen Rayner, the Chief Executive of The Breast Foundation, about supporting breast cancer initiatives and spreading awareness of early detection.
In 1923, Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck) documented the last confirmed capture of a special fish – the upokororo or New Zealand grayling. Now, researchers are using using its ancient DNA to finally provide some answers to how it went extinct.
Genetic data provides a new tool in the search for survivors. Environmental DNA in water samples from remote catchments can now be compared routinely to known DNA from the upokororo.
Fish populations are in sharp decline globally. Lessons learned from past extinctions, like that of the upokororo, can help us preserve fish species for future generations. Hopefully we can heed the lessons from the past.
Joe speaks to Dr Nic Rawlence from the Palaeogenetics Lab at the University of Otago on the matter.
A major research project has recently concluded, investigating the urban transformation of Ōutautahi Christchurch.
Made with the support of arts organisation Life in Vacant Spaces, the project has reflected on the arts events and creative spaces that were formed at the outset of the earthquakes.
The research also detailed the positive mental health affects of the installations and events, as well as some positive ecological impacts.
Liam spoke to Massey University research fellow and lead researcher Kelly Dombroski, first asking her to run through the research titled Huritanga: ten years of transformational place-making.
Green Party MP Jan Logie has recently spearheaded an open letter to see welfare improved for parents of young children.
Addressed to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni, the letter called for one central family support credit instead of multiple different kinds.
Logie also calls for the Best Start Credit that supports parents through weekly paid instalments to be increased from one year of funds to three years after the baby is born.
The best start payment was introduced in 2018, giving families with under twelve month old's $60pw depending on their income, a number the Greens are also calling to be increased.
Liam spoke to Jan Logie of the Green Party about her open letter to the Prime Minister to improve welfare support for parents of young children.
David spoke to Pedro Mello about the upcoming Brazilian Elections.
We also have a series of interviews from Jack Horsnell at last week's Climate Protests in Tamaki Makaurau. He spoke to protesters about what they were calling for and why they believe climate change is important.
Liam also had a chat with Anton Ashcroft from Divergent Thinking NZ about the struggle neurodiverse students go under in schools.
David also spoke to the first haast tokoeka kiwi chick of the 2022-23 season Polina Stucke.
And finally Liam had a korero with Kelly Dombroski from Massey University about how Christchurch has implemented community installations and arts events after the earthquakes.
We’ve got our regular segment with Andrew Little brought to us by Tuva’a. He speaks to the Health Minister about Mental Health awareness week and the new funding for Pharmac.
Joe speaks to Professor Karen Waldie, a developmental neuropsychologist from the University of Auckland and research lead for the Growing Up in New Zealand Psychology Domain about this years theme of reconnecting for Mental Health Awareness Week.
Trishil brings OurActionStation over to the Thursday Wire this week, today we look at the #BusFairCampaign seeking to end privatisation of public transport, he spoke to Louisa Jones from First Union on the matter. Trishil also speaks to Ban-Al Galani 0800 What’s Up about their youth mental health focus over the last 21 years
Finally, we’ve got Frances with the Green Desk. She looks at Reconnecting with nature this week, and spoke with Drew Divehall, the Speak Wellbeing Adviser at the Department of Conservation on the matter.
On 21 September 2001, the counselling service 0800 What’s Up answered its very first phone call. They have since have answered close to 1.5 million calls and over 29,000 chats.
The impact of COVID-19 on health, education, and employment uncertainty, as well as the rising costs of living, housing affordability, and other global factors at play means that the world our children and young people are growing up in is full of distressing and difficult challenges.
These issues highlight why services such as 0800 What’s Up are still crucial to understanding the mental health needs for our young, 21 years on since that very first phone call.
To celebrate 21 years of mental health service, and Mental Health Awareness Week, I spoke to 0800 What’s Up Team Lead Ban Al Galani about their support efforts for our young, and the impact they have made in this time.
The focus of mental health awareness week on “reconnecting” is timely as research published this year from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study reveals the importance of connections with family, friends and community for maternal mental health and their children’s development in the early years. Growing up in New Zealand is the largest study of child development in this country and both parental and child mental health are research focus areas.
Joe spoke to Professor Karen Waldie, a developmental neuropsychologist from the University of Auckland and research lead for the Growing Up in New Zealand Psychology Domain, about their work and the importance of reconnecting for Mental Health Awareness Week.
Last week, the council’s Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) Committee said they would be seeking to implement a number of recommendations that improve emergency readiness for disabled populations.
Following a hui last year where community members were invited to bring forward issues relating to future planning for natural disasters, Sara was interested to hear about how the council is taking suggestions on board.
As well, Auckland Council has been considering proposals to mitigate flood risks around the Wairau catchment, including one which would see the reduction of the size of the Takapuna Golf Course, to convert the space into a flood catchment.
Producer Sara spoke to Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson on both of these topics, firstly by asking him to discuss the desired outcomes relating to emergency preparedness for disabled people, and the council’s first steps to implementation
Zohran Mamdani has all but won the Democratic Primary in New York City after key competitor Andrew Cuomo conceded the race.
Mamdani will now be the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor.
His campaign was built on cost-of-living, where Mamdani presented himself as an authentic, Democratic Socialist, grassroots campaign leader.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to 95bFM reporter and South Asia correspondent Sanat Singh about Momdani’s win, what this means for the communities he represents, and where to from here.
A reported 131,000 submissions were made on the Regulatory Standards Bill.
The Bill, proposed by the ACT party, includes a set of principles outlining “responsible regulation.” Notably, it does not include any mention of either version of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Last weekend, hundreds of Destiny Church members marched on Queen Street in a rally that they called “in defence of faith, flag, and family.”
And the Labour Party has criticised the framing of a poll question by the Taxpayers Union/Curia on whether or not Cook Islanders should retain automatic New Zealand citizenship.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden asked Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about all of these topics.
Recently the Green Party commissioned independent legal advice to look into the government’s $200 million investment in new gas fields that was carried out last month and found out that the investment was in breach of the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS).
NZ First MP Shane Jones recently announced that he’d be drafting a member's bill to force Ngāpuhi into a single commercial settlement, which would prevent hapū from negotiating separate commercial redresses and remove any reference to hapū sovereignty from the settlement terms.
And the Green party recently issued a call to the New Zealand government to condemn the US strikes on Iranian Nuclear facilities, almost a week after Iran and Israel had both been trading missile strikes between each other.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke with MP Hūhana Lyndon to get the party’s take on all of these issues
Last week, Statistics Minister Shane Reti announced plans to scrap the nationwide census moving forward. The census is the largest statistical survey done in Aotearoa, and provides the bulk of population data used in research and decision-making. Reti says the census is “no longer financially viable” and will be replaced with a combination of smaller annual surveys and administrative data.
While the change looks good on paper, there are concerns around how the change in data collection could affect representation of marginalised and minority groups. Census data tends to be more protected from bias than administrative data and smaller surveys, meaning there are more opportunities for misrepresentation. Some statisticians are particularly concerned about the potential exclusion of marginalised rural communities.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked him about the census decision and its implications on marginalised and minority groups.
Associate Health Minister, David Seymour, has recently announced changes to Psilocybin and Melatonin availability.
Psilocybin, the compound found in magic mushrooms, will be available for certain patients suffering from poor mental health outcomes. Melatonin, which is used for insomnia and jetlag, is set to be available over the counter.
For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to him about this move, and the potential accessibility concerns with accessing these medications.
They also discussed taxpayers set to be funding newly-funded cancer medicines for private facilities.
Finally, they discuss opposition parties criticised Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, over a lack of transparency regarding the effectiveness of boot camps for youth offenders, especially as boot camps have received a boost of $30 million, despite the pilot programme still being ongoing.
But first, they discussed Psilocybin and Melatonin.
Last Saturday, over 2,000 protests took place across all 50 American States against President Donald Trump.
The protests coincided with Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the US Army, and they served as a direct response to the military parade in Washington, DC.
The organisers of the protests say they aimed to reject “authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarisation of our democracy.”
Wire Host Caeden spoke to Jeremy Pressman, Professor of Political Science at the University of Connecticut about the protests and the backlash towards them from the Trump administration.
Housing intensification is a key priority for Auckland Council as Auckland's population is forecast to reach 2.3 million by 2050.
But as planning for growth continues, some Auckland residents have expressed concern about the approval of developments in areas on flood plains or particularly prone to natural disasters.
With Kāinga Ora selling homes as ‘high risk investments’ in areas which were impacted by flooding in recent years, and 15 percent of all granted consents for new builds by Auckland Council being on floodplains, I spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about how the council is taking into account these issues for the coming years.
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