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.
Samaritans Aotearoa New Zealand is an organisation that allows people to speak to empathetic volunteers who can help them deal with emotional and practical issues they are experiencing. In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, many people have called in with various issues and been given an empathetic ear by the Samaritans. Arno spoke to Tony Robinson, chairman of Samaritans Aotearoa New Zealand to find out more about the organisation. Firstly, Arno asked him about the mission of Samaritans.
If you or a loved one needs someone to talk to about any problems, please call them on 0800 72 66 66.
Increasing violence towards Auckland’s bus drivers has prompted several union groups to issue statements demanding better working safety protections for drivers.
Arno spoke to Melissa Ansell-Bridges, secretary of the NZCTU, the council of trade unions, to find out more about the issue.
Arno also spoke to Melissa to find out more about improving contractor positions in Aotearoa. The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is calling for better employment protections for contractors, many of whom earn below minimum wage for hours worked. This follows a landmark win where Uber drivers became classified as employees instead of contractors last year.
Arno started on the first topic by asking what Auckland bus drivers are concerned about.
As many as 50,000 kaiako and tumuaki (teachers and principals) will go on strike tomorrow for better conditions and to improve public education for tamariki.
This is the education sector’s biggest industrial action since 2019.
Most schools and kura will close on Thursday due to the strikes, and nationwide protest marches are planned.
The strikes have been organised by the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), representing primary and kindergarten teachers, and the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA), representing secondary school teachers.
First, News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Mark Potter, President of the New Zealand Education Institute. I started off our interview discussing why kindergarten and primary staff are striking.
Then she spoke to the acting president of Te Wehengarua, the Post Primary Teachers' Association, Chris Abercrombie. To begin, I asked about why secondary staff are striking.
Lastly, she spoke to Maddy, an intermediate teacher, about why she is striking. I started by asking Maddy about her background in teaching.
The average New Zealander emits over 6 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, and 1.4 tonnes of this comes from electricity usage. Ecotricity has become the first energy company in Aotearoa to become climate positive certified. In today's Wire Beth spoke to the co-founder and CEO of Ecotricity Al Yates about the company.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly has her weekly catch-up with the National Party's Dr Shane Reti, and speaks to him about Housing Minister Chris Bishop's most recent speech delivered last week. In the speech, Chris Bishop revealed a number of changes regarding legislation and policy to do with the current build-to-rent scheme, including changes to the Overseas Investment Act and to the Income Tax Act. Dr Shane Reti and Milly discuss the current issues to do with housing and the party's plans to help ease the pressure on the housing market.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly spoke to Chanelle Duley from the University of Auckland's Faculty of Economics regarding the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank, exploring what caused it, the flow on effects, especially in the tech sector, and the effects that this might have on our banks here in New Zealand.
This week on the Tuesday Wire, Milly speaks to Lokesh Padhye from the University of Auckland's faculty of Environmental Engineering regarding the proposed ban on the use of PFAs in makeup products. Milly explores what PFAs are, why they are harmful to us and the environment, and what we can do as citizens of Aotearoa to combat their use.
Amidst awards season in the US, Michelle Yeoh has become the first Asian-American woman to be nominated for best actress at the Academy Awards in nearly 90 years.
It has also been over two decades since there has been a non-white best actress winner at the Academy Awards.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Associate Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Auckland, filmmaker, and Co-Founder of the Pan-Asian Screen Collective, Shuchi Kothari about Asian representation and lack of representation in the film industry.
Why don't the world's other humanitarian crises see the same response as Ukraine? As beautiful as the response has been, why is there a discrepancy with people from other countries seeking refuge?
Daniel asked this question to Ritesh Shah, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland. His research bridges several disciplines — including sociology, politics, international relations, and anthropology.
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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