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.
This week Frances speaks to European correspondent about the war in Ukraine, the EU's Russian oil embargo passed late last night, Sue Grey's report on the Partygate scandal and nine euro per month public transport in Germany.
The supermarket duopoly has seen prices for essential items increasing sharply. The government has made a formal response to the commerce commission’s market study showing supermarkets earn $1million a day in extra profits. Today Stella spoke with Ricardo Menéndez March from the Green Party, about the recommendations.
Lab technicians carried us through the pandemic, diagnosing thousands of covid cases and working in arduous conditions to do so. Now there’s an exodus of professionals from the field, but the need for them hasn’t gone away. Stella spoke with Abbey Trewavas, an advocate at APEX whose portfolio is lab workers, about the future of the profession, given the experience of science students over the course of the past two years.
On this week's Wednesday show, Stella starts off chatting to advocate Abbey Trewavas from APEX, allied scientific and technical about the document of crisis delivered to government about lab workers. They also touch on the future of the profession, given a generation of lab work students didn't get comprehensive access to labs during lockdowns.
Alex talks to ACT's Brooke Van Velden in their weekly catch up. This week, they cover China’s new cooperation agreements in the Pacific.
Stella talks to the Green Party's Ricardo Menéndez March about the government's actions on the supermarket duopoly.
Finally, Frances speaks with European correspondent Cameron Mulgan on Eurovision, this week covering the war in Ukraine, the EU's Russian oil embargo passed late last night, Sue Grey's report on the Partygate scandal and nine euro per month public transport in Germany.
The latest 1News Kantar political poll is out, and it puts National ahead at 39%, while Labour has dropped to 35%. It's the first poll since the 2022 Budget was announced. The Greens are also up, sitting at 10%, while ACT is down at 7%. Te Pāti Māori is currently on 2%. Labour saw strong support in the wake of the pandemic, with Jacinda Ardern being the face of New Zealand's Covid-19 response. So, why are voters moving away from Ardern and her party now? Christina spoke to Lara Greaves, a political scientist at the University of Auckland.
Marcus Jones joined the team live in studio for Dear Science. This week, Christina and Marcus discussed gun violence research in the US, monkeypox, and the science behind why yawns are contagious.
Aneeka spoke to the National Party's Dr Shane Reti for their regular segment. This week, they discussed crime prevention measures and New Zealand's relations with the Pacific.
Christina spoke to Lara Greaves, a political scientist from the University of Auckland, about the latest political poll results that put National ahead on 39%.
And Jack did an explainer on the proposed Three Waters reform. He spoke to Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall and Waitakere Ward Councillor Shane Henderson.
We’ve all heard about three waters in the news, it’s something that has proven to be a topic of contention for many kiwis with conflict between local councils and the government dominating the headlines.
But there’s one thing that many kiwis still want to know, what is three waters?
The weight of not being fully informed on everything in this country was a heavy burden for The Wire’s Jack Horsnell so he put his investigative journalist pants on and jumped straight into the first page of google.
Jack Spoke Whanganui Mayor, Hamish McDouall and Waitakere Ward councillor, Shane Henderson to try and make sense of it all.
Aneeka caught up with the National Party's Dr Shane Reti for their regular segment. This week, they discussed crime prevention measures and New Zealand's relations with the Pacific.
An international study has shown that some animals have managed to adapt and evolve faster than previously thought.
The New Zealand Hihi bird, which was researched by Dr Anne Santure as a part of the wider study, is an anomaly among the animals in the study, being a threatened specials with a 'low capacity to adapt' according to the Department of Conservation.
Trishil spoke to Dr Anne Santure, co-author of the study about the study parameters and the hihi bird.
The plant-based food market is due to get more funidng due to the governments Regional Strategic Partnership Fund. Charlie spoke with Emma Brodie, Campaigns Officer at SAFE, about the plant-based market, the shift away from the currently unsustainable dairy industry, and their new campaign 'Done With Dairy'.
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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