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.
Tohorā (southern right whales) are travelling further north and south to forage for food across the Southern Ocean. Researchers say these changes have been occurring over the past 30 years, following a lengthy period of "remarkable consistency" in whale feeding ranges dating back to the 1700s.
Joe speaks to Emma Carroll from the University of Auckland on this matter.
In the mid-20th century, hundreds of Banabans were displaced from Banaba Island to Fiji’s Rabi Island due to the devastating impacts of phosphate mining. Today, Banabans on Rabi continue to face discrimination as a partially self-governing entity falling between the cracks of Fiji and Kiribati. Their stories remain largely unheard in Aotearoa New Zealand, where the benefits of mining allowed the British to advance their colonisation and kickstart New Zealand’s agricultural sector.
95bFM digital subeditor Stella Huggins speaks to Katja Phutaraksa Neef, Erin and Banaban delegate Jack, about the forced displacement of the Banaban community and their ongoing human rights struggles, as well as their new art exhibition titled "Justice for Rabi: The Story of Banaba".
Friday March 3rd marks World Hearing Day. An event which cannot be missed is the Listen Up Conference, where the CEO of Able, Dan Buckingham will be speaking about accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Today on The Wire, 95bFM's digital subeditor Stella Huggins speaks to communications intern at Able, Gabriella Evans, who is deaf and a caption-user, about her experience with accessing media, and the importance of the saying ‘nothing about us without us’, a mantra used to communicate the idea that no policy should be decided by any representative without the full and direct participation of members of the groups affected by that policy.
Hydrocephalus is a disease with 100 New Zealand patients diagnosed every year. A recent funding injection of $6 million into the world’s first implantable long term brain pressure sensor promises relief for New Zealanders and also those across the globe.
Arno spoke with Professor Simon Malpas who is leading research at the Implantable Devices Group at the University of Auckland. Arno spoke with him to find out more about this research and what it means for New Zealanders as well as a global population. Arno started off by asking for an explanation of what hydrocephalus is.
Today on the Tuesday Wire Milly speaks to Xavier Walsh co-president of Unite Unions, a union organisation representing workers in both the hospitality and entertainment industries. The organisation is behind some highly sucessful wins such as abolishing the zero-hour contract for fast food workers, and is currrently leading the change on fair pay agreements for hospitality workers. Milly explores the importance of the ability to unionize with Xavier.
In their weekly catch up, Hanna Thompson spoke to with Te Pāti Māori Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Takutai Kemp. They disucssed the party's kaupapa as a movement towards mana motuhake, whether Te Pāti Māori was excluded from tomorrow's General Election debate at the University of Auckland, controversy over Three Waters, and finding community and mana motuhake in Te Matatini celebrations.
In times of crisis, arts, culture and creative experiences play an essential role. But according to James Wenley, a lecturer in the theatre programme at Victoria University of Wellington, the arts and culture in Aotearoa are in a cycle of crisis.
Why are we in this cycle? And how do we break out of it? Daniel Teunissen spoke to Wenleyabout this.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to ACT’s Karen Chhour about a 14,500 strong petition to amend disability accessibility legislation that was delivered to parliament and claims of heightened crime in Cyclone-Affected Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti.
A question that sparks curiousity and contradiction is, are we in the midst of a wellbeing pandemic? The question may seem curious, even contradictory. Researchers say that if we look around us, the concept is everywhere and spreading in the media, in government institutions and transnational organisations, in schools, in workplaces, and in the marketplace
Joe spoke to Steven Jackson, Professor of Sport Policy and Politics at the University of Otago to get some insight on this matter.
There are 38 organisations who are issuing a public call for Auckland Transport to urgently deliver the long overdue inner west cycle lanes and street improvements. Six of those are schools that want safer street for their students, there is the Grey lynn residents association, there are several businesses from ponsonby and K road that support the improvements and there are advocacy groups.
The Waitematā Safer Routes (also known as the Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements) is the project that hangs in the balance. It has been paused and this spawned criticism from the community who urge to continue the Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements.
The Waitematā Safer Routes are a vital link between the adjoining projects. Dropping the middle project would mean network benefits were lost, and the schools and communities of the inner west would be left disconnected.
There are 56 letters in support of Grey Lynn and Westmere improvements, while there are 6 letters opposing the improvements.
Daniel spoke with Mike Lee about his thoughts on the inner west cycle lanes and street improvements.
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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