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The Wire

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 Wire w/ Joe: June 23, 2022

The Wire w/ Joe: June 23, 2022 The Wire w/ Joe: June 23, 2022, 109.73 MB
Thu 23 Jun 2022

This week on The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!

Tuva’a speaks about Labour Party’s Andrew Little and whether or not the health system is in crisis or not. 

The Green Desk is back! Frances brings us the latest on Green related issues. This week she speaks to Professor Dan Tompkins, the Science Director for Predator Free 2050. 

Joe speaks to Nic Rawlence from the Palaeongenetics Lab at the University of Otago about how the New Zealand Grayling went extinct and the Mysterious Adzebill. He’ll also be speaking to Amy Chan from the University of Auckland about digital tech helping with asthma medication​. Finally, he speaks talks to Dr Lis Ellison-Loschmann from the health research council about addressing key Maori health policies.

That's us for The Wire for Rāpare Thursday!

New Zealand Graylings and the Mysterious Adzebill w/ Dr Nic Rawlence

New Zealand Graylings and the Mysterious Adzebill w/ Dr Nic Rawlence New Zealand Graylings and the Mysterious Adzebill w/ Dr Nic Rawlence, 31.18 MB
Thu 23 Jun 2022

Joe had the privilege of having a conversation with Dr Nic Rawlence from the Palaeongenetics Lab at the University of Otago about how the New Zealand Grayling went extinct and the Mysterious Adzebill. Two long lost species which used to roam Aotearoa. 

Maori-led Research on Maori Health Policy w/ Dr Lis Ellison-Loschmann: June 23, 2022

Maori-led Research on Maori Health Policy w/ Dr Lis Ellison-Loschmann: June 23, 2022 Maori-led Research on Maori Health Policy w/ Dr Lis Ellison-Loschmann: June 23, 2022, 19.79 MB
Thu 23 Jun 2022

An independent Māori-led research team has been awarded $1.5M by the Ministry of Health and Health Research Council of New Zealand to track the implementation and progress of the government’s Whakamaua Māori Health Action Plan 2020–2025.

In addition to the Ministry of Health’s internal evaluation of the plan, the research team’s assessment will directly inform implementation, progress, and direction of Whakamaua from now through to 2025, and identify gaps that need to be filled along the way.

Joe spoke to one of the project’s co-lead researchers, Dr Lis Ellison-Loschmann, on the matter

Mental Health of Transgender Communities in Aotearoa w/ Kyle Tan

Mental Health of Transgender Communities in Aotearoa w/ Kyle Tan Mental Health of Transgender Communities in Aotearoa w/ Kyle Tan, 21.42 MB
Wed 22 Jun 2022

It’s pride month, and there has been extensive coverage of events in the rainbow community recently. Stella spoke with Kyle Tan from the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa about the landscape of accessibility to healthcare and mental health of Aotearoa’s transgender youth.

The Wire w/ Stella 22 June

The Wire w/ Stella 22 June The Wire w/ Stella 22 June, 116.63 MB
Wed 22 Jun 2022

Welcome to another Wednesday Wire with Stella! This week, Alex chats with ACT Leader David Seymour about the Tauranga by-election and New Zealand’s foreign policy in the Pacific. 

Stella speaks to Kris Taylor from the University of Auckland about the ever-relevant project Shifting The Line.

Stella talks to Kyle Tan from PATHA about the mental health of the transgender community in Aotearoa.

Aneeka talks to European correspondent Cameron Mulgan on this week’s episode of Eurovision.

 

 

Shifting The Line w/ Kris Taylor

Shifting The Line w/ Kris Taylor Shifting The Line w/ Kris Taylor, 28.24 MB
Wed 22 Jun 2022

Aotearoa’s culture of masculinity and gender is notoriously troublesome in a lot of ways. Projects are arising to combat such rigid roles, such as Shifting the Line, from the University of Auckland. Its first round of workshops started way back in 2017, and those findings are still relevant today. I spoke to Kris Taylor, one of the researchers, about what’s happened in the interim, where we go from those results, and the intricacies of the project.

Eurovision w/ Cameron Adams

Eurovision w/ Cameron Adams Eurovision w/ Cameron Adams, 19.03 MB
Wed 22 Jun 2022

Aneeka takes over Eurovision from Frances this week, speaking to European correspondant Cameron Adams. They cover an update on the war in Ukraine, the French election, and more.

Matariki w/ Dr Dan Hikuroa: 21 June 2022

Matariki w/ Dr Dan Hikuroa: 21 June 2022 Matariki w/ Dr Dan Hikuroa: 21 June 2022, 24.73 MB
Tue 21 Jun 2022

This Friday Aoteroa will be celebrating Matariki as a public holiday for the first time.  To mark the occasion Jack spoke to Māori Studies professor Dr Dan Hikuroa from the University of Auckland about the significance of the holiday.

National's Dr. Shane Reti: June 21, 2022

National's Dr. Shane Reti: June 21, 2022 Shane Reti: June 21, 2022, 17.21 MB
Tue 21 Jun 2022

This week, News and Editorial Director Aneeka Moheed discussed emergency department wait times and Matariki with Dr Shane Reti from the National Party in their regular segment.

The Wire w/ Christina: June 21, 2022

The Wire w/ Christina: June 21, 2022 The Wire w/ Christina: June 21, 2022, 102.54 MB
Tue 21 Jun 2022

AUT Professor Allan Blackman joined Christina live in studio for Dear Science. This week, they discussed light therapy as a cancer treatment, the origin of the Black Death, and carbon and nitrogen levels in the sun, as well as a quick detour into astrology and marmots.

Aneeka had her weekly chat with the National Party's Dr. Shane Reti, where they discussed emergency department wait times and Matariki.

Jack also spoke to Dr Dan Hikuroa, a Māori Studies lecturer from the University of Auckland, about Matariki.

Christina spoke to Alejandra Jaramillo Aristizabal, a University of Auckland education student originally from Columbia, about the recent presidential election that saw a left-wing president elected for the first time in the country's history.

Social media restrictions and NZ First’ gender bill w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 13th May, 2025

Social media restrictions and NZ First’ gender bill w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 13th May, 2025 Social media restrictions and NZ First’ gender bill w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 13th May, 2025, 9.75 MB
Tue 13 May 2025

National Party MP Catherine Wedd recently filed a private members bill that would look at restricting social media use for young people, mainly those under 16. While the bill has received some criticism from the ACT party, other parties such as Labour have agreed that legislation around this issue is important. 

At the end of April New Zealand First MP Jenny Marcroft put forward a private members bill forward that would seek to define the word ‘woman’ in New Zealand law. The bill was received with criticism from opposition parties and the general public, who say the bill is drawing on transphobic sentiments to distract from more important issues.

In our weekly catchup with National’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues, starting with the potential social media restrictions. 

Dear Science w/ Doctor Cushla McGoverin: 13th May, 2025

Dear Science w/ Doctor Cushla McGoverin: 13th May, 2025 Dear Science w/ Doctor Cushla McGoverin: 13th May, 2025, 21.22 MB
Tue 13 May 2025

This week on Dear Science our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about a new variation on the classic marshmallow experiment, a strange method of developing snake antivenom, and a new development in lithium ion batteries

Pay Equity Amendment Bill and Proposed Social Media Ban w/ the ACT Party’s Simon Court:12 May, 2025

Pay Equity Amendment Bill and Proposed Social Media Ban w/ the ACT Party’s Simon Court:12 May, 2025 Pay Equity Amendment Bill and Proposed Social Media Ban w/ the ACT Party’s Simon Court:12 May, 2025, 25.89 MB
Mon 12 May 2025

The ACT Party has defended the Government’s controversial move to pass changes to pay equity law under urgency — a move that immediately halted all current claims and raised the bar for future ones. The Government argues the new rules will provide more “clarity” and prevent costly legal disputes, while unions and advocates say the bill is a rollback of hard-won gains for women in low-paid sectors.

Critics also slammed the lack of consultation and the speed of the legislative process, while questions are raised over whether the move was made to plug a hole in the upcoming budget. For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about why ACT supports the Pay Equity Amendment Bill, and whether it risks undermining efforts to close the gender pay gap.

They also discussed a National Party member’s bill that would ban under-16s from using social media — a proposal ACT has declined to back for now. National says the ban would protect young people’s mental health, while ACT argues it raises serious questions about freedom of speech and parental responsibility.

The Pay Equity Amendment Bill and draft RSE framework w/ Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp: 12 May, 2025

The Pay Equity Amendment Bill and draft RSE framework w/ Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp: 12 May, 2025 The Pay Equity Amendment Bill and draft RSE framework w/ Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp: 12 May, 2025, 17.9 MB
Mon 12 May 2025

Last week, the controversial Pay Equity Amendment Bill passed under urgency.

The bill makes drastic changes to the Equal Pay Act 1972, making the criteria for equity claims stricter, and could can the 33 existing claims, affecting 150,000 female workers.

The passing of the bill has faced significant opposition from the Labour Party, Green Party, and Te Pāti Māori, over concerns this bill would set women back, and resulted in nationwide protests.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp about the passing of the Pay Equity Amendment Bill, and how this would impact marginalised communities.

They also spoke about the Ministry of Education releasing the draft relationships and sexuality education, or RSE, framework, for students years 0 to 13, and the party’s concerns regarding this.

But first, they discussed the Pay Equity Amendment Bill

International Desk: The escalation of violence in Kashmir and the political context surrounding this w/ video essayist Rohan Davis: 8 May, 2025

International Desk: The escalation of violence in Kashmir and the political context surrounding this w/ video essayist Rohan Davis: 8 May, 2025 International Desk: The escalation of violence in Kashmir and the political context surrounding this w/ video essayist Rohan Davis: 8 May, 2025, 19.83 MB
Thu 8 May 2025

International relations experts are fearing a major conflict between India and Pakistan after sharp, escalating tensions, following a deadly terrorist attack in militarised Kashmir that killed 26 people.

Kashmiris have a long history of oppression. In modern times, this has been as India and Pakistan fight over the region while Kashmiris fight for independence. 

Human Rights Watch reports on Kashmir reveal examples of forced displacement, sexual violence, disappearances and allegations of torture and death in custody.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Rohan Davis about the recent terrorist attack and ongoing military escalation, as well as the historical and political context of the Kashmir crisis.

Davis is a video essayist on YouTube from Kerala, India, who covers Indian history and politics.

Pay equity claims halted by the Government, new unemployment statistics, and a proposal to ban under 16s from using social media w/ Labour's Carmel Sepuloni: 8 May, 2025

Pay equity claims halted by the Government, new unemployment statistics, and a proposal to ban under 16s from using social media w/ Labour's Carmel Sepuloni: 8 May, 2025 Pay equity claims halted by the Government, new unemployment statistics, and a proposal to ban under 16s from using social media w/ Labour's Carmel Sepuloni: 8 May, 2025, 9.17 MB
Thu 8 May 2025

The government has changed pay equality laws, halting all existing claims and reducing the number of workers who can argue for better pay based on gender discrimination.

New figures show the unemployment rate has remained unchanged from last quarter at 5.1%.

And National has put forward a member's bill proposal that would ban social media for under-16s. 

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about all of these topics.

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March: 7 May, 2025

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March: 7 May, 2025 Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March: 7 May, 2025, 27.26 MB
Wed 7 May 2025

Earlier this week, defence Minister Judith Collins announced that $2 billion would be set aside in this year’s budget to replace the Defence Force’s maritime helicopters.

This would be outside the additional $12 billion dollars that the government will be investing in the Defence Capability plan and would include another separate $1 Billion investment in the defence force over the next four years.

In that same week, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith recently announced that Cabinet had reinstated a total ban on prisoners voting in general elections, overturning laws under the previous Labour government allowing prisoners serving less than three years to vote.

And Green Party MP Steve Abel recently added The Animal Products (Closing the Welfare Gap) Amendment Bill to the biscuit tin, which would ensure that imported products in New Zealand met our animal welfare standards.

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke to Greens MP Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss all of these issues.

Get Action! Clean Air in Schools w/ Tara Forde from Aotearoa Covid Action: 7 May, 2025

Get Action! Clean Air in Schools w/ Tara Forde from Aotearoa Covid Action: 7 May, 2025 Get Action! Clean Air in Schools w/ Tara Forde from Aotearoa Covid Action: 7 May, 2025, 20.55 MB
Wed 7 May 2025

Winter is coming, and so is a projected increase in respiratory illnesses and COVID cases. Schools are particularly notorious breeding grounds for such diseases with children being more susceptible to respiratory illnesses.

Ultimately, this results in teachers also being subject to COVID and respiratory illnesses at a higher rate than other professions, and an increased number of teachers leaving the profession due to long COVID symptoms is worsening Aotearoa’s already severe teacher shortage.

For this week’s Get Action! Oto spoke to Tara Forde from Aotearoa Covid Action, to discuss a petition of hers calling for the government to prevent the spread of COVID in our schools by making improvements to school air quality and improving accessibility to Booster Vaccines and Rapid Antigen Tests.

If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here:

Northwest transport upgrades and teachers registration fees w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 6th May, 2025

Northwest transport upgrades and teachers registration fees w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 6th May, 2025 Northwest transport upgrades and teachers registration fees w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 6th May, 2025, 21.67 MB
Tue 6 May 2025

This past week the government announced plans to reinstate the prisoner voting ban. The ban was altered in June 2020 by the Labour led coalition government in a change which allowed prisoners serving a sentence of less than three years to vote in elections. This change followed a recommendation from New Zealand’s High Court, which found a prisoner voting ban was inconsistent with New Zealand’s Bill of Rights.

In 2025, the government is now looking at repealing the bill and reinstating the ban. The National Party has argued that there are certain responsibilities that members of society must uphold, and that those who do not fulfil these responsibilities will have their rights taken away. Asked about human rights concerns and the High Court ruling on the bill, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said “I do not care what anyone else says about it.” The bill is set to join others as part of this government’s “tough on crime” approach. 

In our weekly catchup with National’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the prisoner voting ban and how the change would benefit the general public. 

Dear Science w/ Professor Allan Blackman: 6th May, 2025

Dear Science w/ Professor Allan Blackman: 6th May, 2025 Dear Science w/ Professor Allan Blackman: 6th May, 2025, 39.1 MB
Tue 6 May 2025

This week on Dear Science our expert Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about people falsely reporting what they eat, fluoride in drinking water, and a retracted paper on the Sodom comet