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.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, announced his resignation from leading the Conservative Party.
Liam gave a report on Johnson's resignation, and what he represents as one of the largest figures of UK politics. The report includes a comment given to Casper by Stephen Hoadley from the University of Auckland on whether the move could have been predicted.
On this Friday's Wire Casper talked to Auckland city councillor Shane Henderson about a recent local board vote on special character areas, as well as Dean Baigent-Mercer from Forest and Bird about recently allocated funding towards Predator free Rakiura Stewart Island.
Liam put together a report on Boris Johnson's resignation as leader of the Conservative Party in the UK, chatting about what’s been happening over the past few days, how we got to this point, and including some expert commentary from the University of Auckland's Stephen Hoadley.
Liam also had a chat for this week's Strangest Things segment with the Waitakere Ranges Local Board deputy chairperson Greg Presland about how chickens have continued to terrorise Titrangi.
Tuva’a Clifton speaks to Labour Party’s Andrew Little about Health New Zealand as we get to the end of its first week of operation
Emilia Sullivan will be speaking to David Welch from Auckland Uni about the new Omicron wave in Aotearoa
She'll also be speaking to Kevin Trenberth about the US Supreme Court’s ruling on the scope of powers conferred on the Environmental Protection Agency.
And finally she'll be speaking to Consumer NZ Chief Executive Jon Duffy about the establishment of a grocery commissioner and a mandatory code of conduct in the battle against the supermarket duopoly.
That's us for the Thursday Wire! See you next week.
Following March’s Commerce Commission inquiry which found that the two big supermarket chains, Woolworths and Foodstuffs, were using their dominant market position to push excess costs and uncertainty onto suppliers, the government has made steps towards increasing competition in the supermarket industry.
One of the steps was announced yesterday - introducing a grocery commissioner and a mandatory code of conduct to ensure suppliers to supermarkets get a fair deal.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to Chief Executive of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy about the grocery watchdog and code of conduct.
In its first full term with a six-justice conservative majority, the Supreme Court spent the last few days of their sitting issuing far-reaching decisions that will transform American life. Last week we spoke about the court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade, leaving abortion rights up to states to decide.
They also ruled in the case of West Virginia vs. the Environmental Protection Agency, which held that the Obama-era Clean Power Plan exceeded the U.S. EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act.
Kevin Trenberth was involved in the earlier stages of this case prior to it heading to the Supreme Court, and Emilia Sullivan spoke to him about what this ruling told us, and what it means for climate change in the future.
Last Friday the Government launched Aotearoa New Zealand’s first Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People, and New Zealand’s first Ministry that will have a NZ Sign Language name, as well as Te Reo Māori and English names. This follows Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority also officially taking effect, in what is regarded as a fully national health service. Last year the government announced a suite of changes for disabled people as part of the Health and Disability System reforms. Budget 2022 also saw over $1 billion of new funding go into the disability sector.
Minister for Disability Issues Hon Poto Williams sez “In the spirit of ‘Nothing About Us, Without Us’, the new Ministry will start the ball rolling with ensuring the Ministry’s culture and values are mana-enhancing, the governance and partnership arrangements are meaningful, and the mechanisms that will give effect to disabled peoples voices are enduring. The Ministry will lead and coordinate disability policy across government, including improving outcomes for disabled people in areas such as employment, education, health and wellbeing.
Joe speaks with Hon Poto Williams about the launch of Whaikaha - the Ministry for the Disabled.
Alex chats with ACT’s Brooke van Velden about the EU Free Trade Deal and the rise in gun crime in Auckland.
Joe speaks to Hon Poto Williams about the launch of the Ministry for the Disabled
Trishil talks about the ban on Juul e-cigarettes in the US and interviews Sarah Helm from the New Zealand Drug Foundation about New Zealand vaping culture and whether the ban in the US could affect New Zealand
Alex then chats with Ian Powell, the former Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, about the new Maori Health Authority
And there is also Eurovision, Aneeka’s weekly catchup with Europe correspondent Cameron Adams
Aneeka has completely taken over the segment from Frances, and this week she chats to European correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, the upcoming NATO summit, and all the happenings in Europe.
Numerous political figures including Ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour have spoken out in the media this week with allegations that Auckland Council is trying to usher in ‘co-governance’ on a local level, with their proposal on the management of the Waitākere Ranges.
CEO of Te Kawerau ā Maki Edward Ashby called out the political lashback as “fear-mongering” and ‘misinformation’, affirming that the proposal is not actually a co-governance structure.
The proposal is for a decision-making committee of 50% representation from the Crown and tangata whenua to manage the land under a deed of acknowledgement.
The council says the deed of acknowledgement is in line with the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Act 2008, and follows on from the existing management structures in place.
Producer Sara spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson during his bus commute about this topic and the political commentary that’s been witnessed this week. Here is that interview
The Canadian election has been won by Mark Carney’s Liberal Party.
Despite losing the election, the Conservatives made significant gains in their levels of support, particularly with young people.
United States President Donald Trump also loomed large in the election, following his comments earlier this year that he would make Canada the “51st state” and the trade war he has started with Canada.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Aleksi Toiviainen, co-organiser for Vote16 Canada and democracy advocate, about the results of the election.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced a total ban on prisoners voting will be reinstated.
The move has been criticised by the opposition parties, as well as those working in criminal justice.
Today is May Day, also known as International Workers Day and unions across Aotearoa are taking action against what they say is an “anti-worker agenda” from this government.
Workers across a wide range of industries are stopping work and taking strike action.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about all of these issues.
Last week Transport minister Chris Bishop announced steps towards improvements to public transport from the Northwest of Auckland. The plan involves three stages, each promoting faster and more consistent public transport from the region. While early stages are planned for the next few years, later stages will be coming over the next ten or more years.
The government has also announced $53 million towards subsidising teachers registration fees. This announcement follows extensive campaigning from teachers on this issue, eliminating a barrier for new and long-time teachers in Aotearoa.
In our weekly catchup with National’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues, starting with the transport upgrades in Northwest Auckland.
In March this year, the government made the decision to reduce the benefit for hospital patients who remain hospitalised after 13 weeks.
After 13 weeks, those experiencing long-term hospitalisation would see their benefit reduced to their "hospital rate" which was $55.35 a week (after tax), unless the person has a partner and a child or is a veteran.
For this week’s Get Action! I spoke to Fiona Charlton, volunteer president of New Zealand ME Society, who’s started a petition calling on the government to roll back benefit cuts to people experiencing long-term hospitalisation.
If you’d like to sign this petition, you can find it here:
Just yesterday, Finance Minister Nicola Willis made her Pre-Budget speech, in the leadup to Budget 2025 which will be delivered next month.
During her speech, Willis said that the government would be halving the operating allowance from $2.4 Billion to $1.3 Billion, going to a select number of government departments that Willis has described as “the most important priorities.”
The week before, it came to light that Climate Minister Simon Watts had rejected advice to review the carbon subsidies given to polluting companies like NZ steel and Methanex.
And the Greens recently made a call to the government to ban the use of engineered stone products.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire host Oto spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez-March about all of these issues.
In his role as regulation Minister, David Seymour is moving to simplify regulations for Early Childhood Education Centres by the end of this year.
This involves a review containing 15 recommendations, which cabinet has accepted. These recommendations concern a vast number of things, from simplifying licensing criteria for pre-schools to lowering qualification requirements for early childhood educators.
Both of these areas have sparked concern within the sector, with some educators concerned the review is simply a cost cutting exercise that will result in tamariki being put at risk.
For our weekly catch up Producer Evie spoke to ACT’s Simon Court about the review.
They also spoke about New Zealand First’s Members Bill aiming to have the biological definition of a woman and man defined in law.
And finally they discussed a clash between the party and National’s Scott Simpson over an ACC plan to reduce injury for Māori and Pasifika workers.
A cross-party delegation of MPs recently visited Tonga, Hawai’i and Vanuatu as part of a Pacific trip organised by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters.
Earlier this week, New Zealand First proposed new legislation that would exclude trans communities from the definition of “woman” and “man” in law.
Winston Peters defended the bill on RNZ’s Morning Report, where he called interviewer Corin Dann a “disgrace” for raising the criticism against the bill that was brought forward by opposition parties.
During this interview, Peters threatened to cut RNZ’s government funding.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about all of these topics.
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