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.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host spoke to Shanan Halbert about the Palestine protests in Taamaki Makaurau and the new national land transport programme.
A new study was published by Leueta Mulipola, a masters graduate in Public Health at the University of Auckland, which was published in the Australian and New Zealand Health Journal of Public Health.
The study, incorporating the Samoan concept of Talanoa in it’s methodology, explored feelings of anger among the lens of New Zealand-born, Samoan youth, partially motivated by the transition from Fa’aSamoa, the Samoan way of life, to westernised contemporary society here in New Zealand.
Oto spoke to Leueta to talk about her study, and how anger is expressed amongst Samoan youth in Aotearoa.
The government recently announced its New National Land Transport Plan for 2024- 2027. The plan would consist of a $32.9 billion package, largely going towards the development of new roads, many of which are part of the Roads of National Significance programme, as well as maintaining and repairing existing highways and improving public transport in Aotearoa’s major cities.
Based on the it's large expenditure on road and highway development, the Greens issued statements calling out the plan for increasing car dependency and the potential for greater emissions shortly after it was announced.
For our weekly catchup, Oto spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the party’s take on the National Land Transport plan.
They also had a chat about the Ministry of Education removing information on previous iterations of charter schools from their website, as well as the party’s nomination for bird of the year and why it’s important.
For their regular catch-up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about the National Land transport Programme, the Ministry of Education removing information on charter schools from their website and the party’s nomination for bird of the year.
He spoke to Professor Christine Rubie-Davies from the University of Auckland to talk about the practice of streaming in classrooms and the Kōkirihia initiative led by Ngāi Tahu which looks to replace it with High expectation teaching and mixed ability classrooms.
And he spoke to Researcher Leueta Mulipola from the University of Auckland to talk about a study she conducted on anger studying anger through the lens of Samoan youth in Aotearoa.
Sasha spoke to John Minto from Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa about double standards in New Zealand's media coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza.
He also spoke to Professor Barry Barton from the University of Waikato about the government’s intention to reverse the oil and gas exploration ban.
Following a call of urgent action from energy minister Simeon Brown and the coalition government, the government intends to reverse the ban on oil and gas exploration beyond onshore Taranaki.
This decision comes after Simeon Brown declared New Zealand to have an energy shortage, leading to the highest wholesale electricity prices of comparable countries. At the same time however, there has been a continual increase in solar panel power which may solve New Zealand’s energy crisis.
Sasha spoke to Professor Barry Barton from the University of Waikato about the governments’ intention to remove the oil and gas exploration ban.
New Zealanders continue to protest Israel’s attacks on Gaza and on Israel’s illegal occupation of West-Bank, mainstream New Zealand media continue a narrative of double standards.
A recent report made by TVNZ, presented the Israeli military operation on the illegally-occupied West Bank. The report focused on Israeli narratives, justification and propaganda, with nothing coming from the Palestinian side to put such an issue into perspective. TVNZ presented an inversion of the truth.
I spoke to John Minto of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa about appalling mainstream media reporting on Palestine, as well as the government’s silence on the issue and a justification for the ongoing rallies.
The government announced its transport budget yesterday, a record 32.9 billion dollars, mostly going towards the campaign promise of ‘roads of national significance’. This focus on large highway projects has led the government to pull funding from other areas, such as public transport, walking, and cycling.
Wire host Castor spoke to Senior lecturer of Urban planning at the University of Auckland, Doctor Timothy Welch, about the government’s funding allocation and its potential impact on congestion and the environment.
In our catchup with the National party this week, Wire Host Castor asked MP Katie Nimon about several issues in the recent week of politics. Firstly, I asked about the death of Kiingi Tuheitia and the government’s response. I then asked about the potential arrival of Candace Owens, a far-right speaker from the United States who has been known for engaging in anti-semitism and holocaust denial.
Castor then asked about a recent submission by the parliamentary commissioner for the environment, Simon Upton, regarding the government’s second draft emissions reduction plan. The submission makes several critiques of the government’s attitude towards emissions reduction, particularly criticising its promotion of short term solutions which could end up offloading responsibility onto future generations.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about each of these issues, starting off with the recent passing of Kīngi Tūheitia.
For Dear Science this week, we chatted with our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin about bats with glowing toes, glue sealing wounds inside the body, and new technology to make green and yellow lasers.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about the death of Kiingi Tuheitia, Candace Owens potentially visiting Aotearoa, and the government’s second draft emissions reduction plan.
They also spoke to Doctor Timothy Welch about the government’s recently announced transport funding allocation.
With the return of the Green Desk, Jack Marshall talked to Sophie Journee from the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust about the waterways in an Auckland golf course.
And News and Editorial Director, Joel Armstrong, spoke to Staff Researcher at Child Poverty Action Group, Harry Yu Shi, about a recent report showing Aotearoa has poor child poverty statistics compared to European countries.
The latest poverty report, authored by the Ministry of Social Development Principal Advisor, Bryan Perry, shows New Zealand is behind regarding child poverty statistics, when compared with European nations.
News and Editorial Director, Joel, speaks to Staff Researcher for Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), Harry Yu Shi, about the findings of the report, and what policy proposals CPAG have outlined to mitigate the statistics.
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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