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.
Aneeka's back covering the Friday Wire with Liam, who've put together a jammed pack show! Today:
Liam spoke to City Councillor Pippa Coom about the Climate Action Target Rate and a new cycle plan on our regular city counselling segment.
Aneeka spoke to Melissa Woolley, Assistant secretary of the public service association about current pay negotiations for care and support workers and why their organisation believes they will fail.
Liam also talked to Janryll Fernandez about the Fillipino Election.
Aneeka spoke to Dr Sanjana Hathotuwa, a research fellow at the misinformation project and Sri Lankan Political Activist about the Sri Lanka’s Economic crisis and political corruption.
And finally Liam had a chat with Debbie Ward from CCS Diability Action about the recent passing of the Disability Assist Dogs Non-Discrimination Amendment Bill.
The Philippines is a few days away from their presidential election, with issues such as the covid recovery and inequality defining the race.
The frontrunner is Ferdinand Marcos Jr, also known as Bongbong Marcos, who is the son of a former dictator well known for his corrupt leadership.
Marcos’ primary opponent is Leni Robredo, renowned for leading a ‘pink revolution’ towards gender equality
To learn more, Liam spoke to Janryll Frenandez, a New Zealand-based Filipino public relations professional and is currently a post graduate student of public management at Victoria University of Wellington.
The Disability Assist Dogs Non-Discrimination Amendment Bill has recently passed it’s third reading.
After seven years of campaigns, the bill now means that disabled folks with support dogs are now free from being denied service from transport, hospitality and landlords.
Liam had a chat with Debbie Ward from CCS Disability Action about the changes, first asking about what the new bill means for disabled folks across Aotearoa.
This week on the Thursday Wire, Emilia will be speaking to Professor John Ip from the University of Auckland Law School about the leaked U.S Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v Wade. She also speaks to Ella Shephard from ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa about what this decision means for people in America
Emilia also speaks to Viv Whyte from Thursdays in Black UoA for Rape Awareness Week.
Because today is International Midwives Day, Joe will be looking at why they are so important and stand up so well during times of crisis. He speaks to Jackie Anderson, the Midwifery Advisor at the New Zealand College of Midwives on the matter.
On Tuesday, a draft majority opinion from the U.S Supreme Court was leaked, revealing that the court’s five conservative judges have made the decision to overturn Roe vs Wade, the Supreme Court case that established the constitutionality of abortion in the United States.
Emilia Sullivan spoke to John Ip, Associate Professor at the University of Auckland Law School and Ella Shepherd, spokesperson for ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa about what overturning Roe vs. Wade would mean.
Because today is International Midwives Day, Joe will be looking at why they are so important and stand up so well during times of crisis. Joe spoke to Jackie Anderson, the Midwifery Advisor at the New Zealand College of Midwives on the matter.
This piece contains themes of sexual assault and rape.
It’s Rape Awareness Week this week, and we’re talking to Thursdays in Black once again to chat about the updates regarding the Uni’s cases of sexual assault and whether the Uni has done enough to reduce campus rape culture. Emilia Sullivan was joined by Liv Whyte in the studio, who is the national coordinator for Thursdays in Black country-wide.
Thursdays in Black is encouraging everyone to wear black on Thursdays in solidarity with survivors and as a symbolic objection to rape culture. Remember you can go to Thursdays in Black’s ‘Korero and Kai’ event tonight (Thursday) in Kate Edgar Workshop 101 at 5:30pm here at the University of Auckland, or you can watch online if you’re unable to make it.
In 2021 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study showed New Zealand students’ maths knowledge in year 9 fell below all other English-speaking countries. Kiwi student performance was the lowest ever recorded. Recent testing has indicated that New Zealand teens might fail their upcoming compulsory NCEA standards. This morning Stella spoke with Heather Lewis, the National Leader of Mathematics Interventions at Cognition Education about why we aren’t so great at maths as a country.
Frances speaks with Cameron Mulgan on EuroVision, where they discuss War in Ukraine, Mayday protests in Europe, the European cost of living crisis and the revamp of the Large Hadron Collider.
The United States has frequently been in the news cycle recently for the Trump administration’s unstable foreign policy decisions.
This includes their decisions to cut 90% of USAID foreign contracts and to pause military aid to Ukraine following a fiery meeting between the leaders of both countries.
University of Otago’s Professor Richard Jackson describes President Trump’s behaviours as a threat to global order and security.
For International Desk this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to him about the instability of United States foreign policy and the global ramifications of this.
Earlier this week, an investigation was launched into the school lunch programme after baked-in plastic was found in several lunches.
However, principals say the programme has already had various issues since Associate Education Minister David Seymour switched providers as a cost-saving measure last year.
And the coalition government is set to introduce legislation that would give the option of 4 year parliamentary terms.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy LeaderCarmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
Recently, Auckland Council has re-committed $15 million in funding; which they have pledged since 2016, to restore the historic St. James Theatre in Auckland’s CBD — one part of a cross-party agreement between the Council, Central Government, and owner of the theatre.
The theatre, which has been inoperational since a fire broke out in 2007, left significant damage and resulted in the closure of the venue.
The revitalisation of St James has seen support from the public and a variety of different figures, including the co-leader of the Green Party and MP for Auckland Central, Chlöe Swarbrick, and the organisation Save the St. James Theatre Auckland.
For our weekly catchup with Auckland Council, News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson, about Auckland Council's re-commitment to revitalise the St James Theatre and their goals regarding this.
We also spoke about a proposal by Council to develop half of Takapuna Golf Course into wetlands, in aims of mitigating flooding risks which the area is susceptible to.
This move has been criticised by the Golf Course, who say there are better ways to adapt the park without taking away any of the area available to golfers.
But first, they started off by asking how Shane is feeling now that we are one step closer to having the St James operational again.
The ministry for Primary Industries has launched an investigation after a number of meals served to children by the School Lunch Collective were found to have their plastic packaging melted into their food.
This would be the fourth investigation launched into the collective after the government introduced the Alternative Provision Model for Ka Ora Ka Ako, replacing local suppliers.
Around this same period of time, a consultation document was sent to schools across the motu by education minister Erica Stanford asking for feedback on a proposal to defund and disestablish 174 full time roles for Resource Teachers of Literacy and Resource Teachers of Māori.
And the Greens recently issued a call to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon calling on him to rule out any possibility of joining the AUKUS military pact, following the contentious bilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Whitehouse last week.
For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March for the Green Party’s take on all of these issues.
Last week the government announced a new citizen’s arrest policy that would allow members of the public to detain those who commit a crime. The policy has been met with criticism for its potential impact on retail workers and marginalised communities. While the government has asserted that citizen’s arrest should only be conducted when it is safe to do so, some are still worried about safety, especially with employer/employee power dynamics.
Others are concerned that the law will encourage members of the public to conduct citizens arrests on anyone they suspect of committing a crime, even if their suspicions are false. This would predominantly affect marginalised groups already affected by harmful stereotypes
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Tuesday Wire Host Castor asked about how the new Citizens Arrest policy will work in Aotearoa.
For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin, chats to us about the International Space Station being too clean, birds of paradise being more colourful than we originally thought, and stretchy displays.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
The government has announced that it will introduce legislation for a four year parliamentary term - subject to referendum.
Most parties are largely in favour of a four year term - feeling that it gives more opportunity to develop policy and make changes.
As part of their coalition deal, the ACT party designed a caveat to be included in the legislation that would put more ‘checks and balances’ on the government.
This essentially means the opposition would have more powers in select committees. If this legislation is passed and voted on, a four year government term would not be mandatory - but would instead be decided after the government was elected.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about the legislation and why the party supports a four year term.
They also talked about the government giving retailers and members of the public more power to detain shoplifters under legislative reforms. Otherwise known as citizens' arrests.
Last week, Auckland Council presented a proposal to shift Kumeū’s town centre as an effort to address the area’s history of flooding.
Additionally, late last month public consultation opened on Council’s proposed bed night visitor levy. The levy would fill a budget gap of $7 million for major events in Tāmaki Makaurau.
For City Counselling this week, Sofia spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about both of these topics, beginning by asking her what current issues Kumeū is facing that informed the proposal to move its town centre.
Conflict has escalated in the Democratic Republic of Congo this year, driven by ethnic tensions and access to mineral resources.
The conflict has been marked by murder, violence, and forced displacement. Over 6.9 million people in the Congo were displaced by the end of 2023, and 7,000 have been killed since January this year.
For International desk this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Aotearoa African Foundation President Red Tsounga about the ongoing violence in the Congo and what more the international community can do to support those who have been displaced.
StatsNZ has released new data showing the government has missed all its child poverty targets, and that the number of children in material hardship has risen from 144,100 to 156,600.
The government’s proposal to expand citizen arrest laws has been met with a mixed response. The proposal has been criticised by business groups, First Union, and the Labour Party, largely for the risk to workers.
And protestors against a sewerage pipeline being installed through the tapu Lake Rotokākahu have committed to staying at the site after facing off with police.
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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