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The Wire

Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Sara Mckoy, 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.

Pay Parity for ECE Teachers w/ Teanau Tuiono

Pay Parity for ECE Teachers w/ Teanau Tuiono Pay Parity for ECE Teachers w/ Teanau Tuiono, 16.04 MB
Thu 18 Aug 2022

The Green Party is calling for pay parity for early childhood teachers. Stella spoke to the party’s education spokesperson Teanau Tuiono about the need for a change.

Foot and Mouth Disease w/ Carolyn Gates & Dr Mary Van Andel

Foot and Mouth Disease w/ Carolyn Gates & Dr Mary Van Andel Foot and Mouth Disease w/ Carolyn Gates & Dr Mary Van Andel, 32.08 MB
Thu 18 Aug 2022

This morning Stella spoke to Associate Professor Carolyn Gates from Massey University, and Dr Mary Van Andel, the chief veterinary officer at the Ministry for Primary Industries, about foot and mouth disease.

Th Green Desk w/ Ellie Hooper

Th Green Desk w/ Ellie Hooper Th Green Desk w/ Ellie Hooper, 20.27 MB
Thu 18 Aug 2022

This week on The Green Desk, Frances talks to Ellie Hooper about Greenpeace's call to back the strongest possible Global Ocean Treaty.

Weekly Catch-Up w/ Andrew Little

Weekly Catch-Up w/ Andrew Little Weekly Catch-Up w/ Andrew Little, 15.38 MB
Thu 18 Aug 2022

Tuva'a has his weekly catch-up with Labour's Andrew Little. This week they talk about Pharmac funding, and security concerns over Tik Tok.

The Wire w/ Stella 18 August

The Wire w/ Stella 18 August The Wire w/ Stella 18 August, 123.77 MB
Thu 18 Aug 2022

Welcome to the Thursday Wire! Today, Tuva’a has his regular catch-up with Labour’s Andrew Little, this week talking about security concerns with Tik Tok and a new cystic fibrosis medication. Green Desk is back as always, Frances updates us on the week’s environmental news.

Stella speaks to Associate Professor on veterinary epidemiology Carolyn Gates from Massey University about transmission mechanisms of foot and mouth disease. She also speaks to MPI’s chief veterinary officer Dr Mary Van Alden about what New Zealand’s plan is if the disease were to enter the country.

Stella speaks to the Green party’s spokesperson for education, Teanau Tuiono about the party’s calls for pay parity for early childhood teachers.

We finish the show with Stella chatting to a Research Assistant from the Manalagi Project, Allyssa Verner-Pula, about their work documenting the experiences of the LGBTQ+ Pasifika community in healthcare settings. AUSA provides a written comment about the current voting in student elections.

The Wire w/ Emilia: August 17, 2022

The Wire w/ Emilia: August 17, 2022 The Wire w/ Emilia: August 17, 2022, 104.49 MB
Wed 17 Aug 2022

This week on the wire for Rāapa Wednesday!

Alex speaks to Brooke van Velden in his weekly chat with the ACT Party deputy leader.

Emilia will be talking to Geoff McLay from Victoria University Law School about the Supreme Court hearing a case that could hold New Zealand’s biggest polluters accountable for the harm they cause.

Aneeka chats with our European correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, the EU’s proposal on the Iran Nuclear deal, free period products in Scotland and more.

And finally, Emilia will also be chatting with Tristan Meyers from NIWA about the atmospheric rivers the country will be experiencing this week.

That's us for the Wednesday Wire this week!

Smith v Fonterra in the Supreme Court w/ Geoff McLay: August 17, 2022

Smith v Fonterra in the Supreme Court w/ Geoff McLay: August 17, 2022 Smith v Fonterra in the Supreme Court w/ Geoff McLay: August 17, 2022, 28.4 MB
Wed 17 Aug 2022

The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments in a case that could decide whether polluting companies are breaching important duties to New Zealanders. 

Sitting at the Environmental Court in Auckland, the Supreme Court will make a decision as to whether or not to strike out a claim against New Zealand’s 7 biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses by a Northland man who says they are breaching well-established common law principles by contributing to climate change.

Mike Smith is the climate spokesperson for the Iwi Chairs Forum, and is claiming that ongoing pollution by corporations such as Fonterra, Genesis and Z Energy has damaged his Whenua and sites of cultural and historical significance to him and his whānau.

To discuss the legal aspects of this case, as well as the role of tikanga Maori in the decision-making, Emilia Sullivan spoke to Geoff McLay from Victoria University Law School.

Eurovision w/ Cameron Adams: August 17, 2022

Eurovision w/ Cameron Adams: August 17, 2022 Eurovision w/ Cameron Adams: August 17, 2022, 21.17 MB
Wed 17 Aug 2022

On this week's installation of Eurovision, Aneeka chatted with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams about Ukraine, EU’s proposal on the Iran Nuclear deal, free period products in Scotland and more!

Atmospheric Rivers in Aotearoa w/ NIWA's Tristan Meyers: August 17, 2022

Atmospheric Rivers in Aotearoa w/ NIWA's Tristan Meyers: August 17, 2022 Atmospheric Rivers in Aotearoa w/ NIWA's Tristan Meyers: August 17, 2022, 16.23 MB
Wed 17 Aug 2022

A long-lived atmospheric river is landing on New Zealand shores today, which NIWA says could lead to “well over a month’s worth of rain” this week, especially in parts of the South Island.

To get some more insight on what atmospheric rivers are and what impacts they can have, Emilia spoke to Tristan Meyers, a Meteorologist at NIWA.

 

HRC Rent Freeze Proposal w/ Vee Blackwood: August 16, 2022

HRC Rent Freeze Proposal w/ Vee Blackwood: August 16, 2022 HRC Rent Freeze Proposal w/ Vee Blackwood: August 16, 2022, 12.97 MB
Tue 16 Aug 2022

The Human Rights Commission is calling for a rent freeze to be implemented as part of a proposal to alleviate cost of living pressure on New Zealanders.

The proposal intends to address high rental prices as well as a growing need for renting to be recognised as a permanent housing reality for a growing number of New Zealanders.

For more details on their proposal and why they believe it to be necessary Casper spoke to Vee Blackwood, the Human Rights Commission’s housing inquiry manager.

City Rail Link and building infrastructure in Auckland w/ Councilor Julie Fairey

City Rail Link and building infrastructure in Auckland w/ Councilor Julie Fairey City Rail Link and building infrastructure in Auckland w/ Councilor Julie Fairey, 26.39 MB
Thu 14 Aug 2025

Last week, several politicians including the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Auckland attended Auckland's City Rail Link test run. As the project nears completion, the CRL team is busy running tests to ensure this new upgraded rail system is ready for use on the day it launches on an unspecified date in 2026.

Several political leaders were invited to a test last week where they went through the three new stations that are a part of New Zealand’s first underground rail system. 

This comes at a time where Central Government is becoming increasingly stand-off ish with Local Governments across the country with rhetoric aimed at focusing councils on “Roads, Rubbish and Rates” 

This has come to a head with a recent move to introduce a rates cap which threatens to put a hard ceiling on what Local Councils can spend on in their communities. 

The CRL has been under construction for nearly a decade and costs more than $5.5 billion dollars with the project going over budget and over schedule on multiple occasions, drawing criticism from those who believe we are spending too much money on ineffective infrastructure projects. 

Producer Sanat talked to Councilor Julie Fairey today about the value that CRL will give to the city and why we have such a hard time nationally building ambitious infrastructure projects.

 

Helen Clark’s comments on the Gaza ‘genocide’, the recent Taxpayers Union-Curia poll, and Electorate Changes w/ Labour’s Shanan Halbert: 14 August, 2025

Helen Clark’s comments on the Gaza ‘genocide’, the recent Taxpayers Union-Curia poll, and Electorate Changes w/ Labour’s Shanan Halbert: 14 August, 2025 Helen Clark’s comments on the Gaza ‘genocide’, the recent Taxpayers Union-Curia poll, and Electorate Changes w/ Labour’s Shanan Halbert: 14 August, 2025, 7.38 MB
Thu 14 Aug 2025

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark recently visited the border of Gaza with Egypt. She told media there was “no reason” why Aotearoa New Zealand shouldn’t take the step to recognise a Palestinian state.

The latest Taxpayers Union-Curia poll has predicted a hung parliament next election. Labour has overtaken National, with both National leader Christopher Luxon and Labour Leader Chris Hipkins up in the preferred Prime Minister poll.

And the independent “Representation Commission” has announced the changes to electorates in time for the next generation election. While the changes focus on adjusting boundaries, the electorate of “Rongotai” was also renamed to “Wellington Bays.”

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these issues.

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Ricardo Menendez-March: 13 August, 2025

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Ricardo Menendez-March: 13 August, 2025 Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Ricardo Menendez-March: 13 August, 2025, 25.53 MB
Wed 13 Aug 2025

Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that the government would be announcing its position on the recognition of a Palestinian state over the next month.

This announcement was made in the lead up to the UN general assembly in September, where world leaders such as the prime ministers of France and Australia promised to recognise a Palestinian state.

Also this week, Green party Wellington MPs Julie Anne Genter and Tamatha Paul recently launched a petition calling for Māori place names to be restored to Wellington electorates after the Rongotai electorate was recently renamed to the English name Wellington Bays.

And the latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia Poll was recently released, which showed that Labour had overtaken National as the largest party, gaining 2 points to 33.6 percent, while National’ dropped 2.1 points to 31.8 percent.

For our weekly catchup with the Green party, Oto spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March to get the party’s take on all of these issues

Treasury Long Term Insights Briefing & changes to the Road User Charges (RUC) system w/ National Party MP Carl Bates: 12 August, 2025

Treasury Long Term Insights Briefing & changes to the Road User Charges (RUC) system w/ National Party MP Carl Bates: 12 August, 2025 Treasury Long Term Insights Briefing & changes to the Road User Charges (RUC) system w/ National Party MP Carl Bates: 12 August, 2025, 23.26 MB
Tue 12 Aug 2025

Last week, Treasury delivered the Long Term Insights Briefing entitled ‘Te Ara Mokopuna’ which examines the use of fiscal policy in New Zealand to respond to challenges and economic shocks.

The report used stakeholder feedback and consultation to underscore how the government can seek to promote “fiscal sustainability and improving wellbeing for future generations of New Zealanders”.

Of particular interest, the report highlights the effect of spending decisions made during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As well, Transportation Minister Chris Bishop has announced the government’s plans to change up the road user charges system in what he says is the ‘biggest change to how we fund our roading network in 50 years’.

The changes are aimed at making charges fairer across road usage, reflecting the evolution in the types of cars now available. 

Legislative work will be carried out in 2026, with changes expected to come into effect in 2027.

Dear Science w/ Professor Allan Blackman: 12 August, 2025

Dear Science w/ Professor Allan Blackman: 12 August, 2025 Dear Science w/ Professor Allan Blackman: 12 August, 2025, 40.68 MB
Tue 12 Aug 2025

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman talks to us about a novel way to administer vaccines, subtle light in our brains, and Schrödinger’s birthday.

Thanks Allan for joining us, thank you MOTAT, and thank you science!

Changes to NCEA w/ the ACT Party's Simon Court: 11 August, 2025

Changes to NCEA w/ the ACT Party's Simon Court: 11 August, 2025 Changes to NCEA w/ the ACT Party's Simon Court: 11 August, 2025, 15.46 MB
Mon 11 Aug 2025

Last week, the government announced a proposal to replace NCEA with an alternative educational curriculum.

NCEA, which has been in place since 2002, has received mixed responses. In announcing the move, Education Minister, Erica Stanford, says that due to the flexibility of NCEA, this has “come at a cost” for young people to develop critical thinking skills and knowledge for future pathways.

The proposed changes include replacing NCEA level 1 with a foundational test, solely focusing on numeracy and literacy, replacing NCEA’s level 2 and 3 with two new qualifications, requiring students take five subjects, and having to pass at least four to obtain a certificate.

This move is not without its criticisms and concerns, however. For example, Many teachers have told RNZ that the changes, which are set to be phased in from next year, are too swift, with teachers saying they will need additional support during the transition process.

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to him about potentially moving away from NCEA.

State of Auckland’s Local Democracy and Regional Deals w/ Councilor Shane Henderson

State of Auckland’s Local Democracy and Regional Deals w/ Councilor Shane Henderson State of Auckland’s Local Democracy and Regional Deals w/ Councilor Shane Henderson, 16.52 MB
Thu 7 Aug 2025

The deadline for enrolling to vote in Local elections and nominations for candidates closed last week, with last minute pushes across the country to make sure as many seats as possible were being contested. 

There were concerns from the Electoral Commission and Local Councils across the country that some seats might go uncontested or only have one person running.

Producer Sanat wanted to understand what the state of local democracy is in Auckland and whether the council is doing enough to make sure it is healthy and thriving. 

Also in today’s discussion is a conversation about Regional Deals. Recently Auckland Council signed a memorandum of understanding with the government in order to begin “negotiating” a regional deal. 

Producer Sanat wanted to understand what a regional deal is and what it can do for Auckland, especially as recent unemployment and homelessness figures suggest that our city has been hit hardest by the recent economic downturn. 

He started off by asking Councillor Shane Henderson about the state of Auckland's Local Democracy.

International Desk: Flawed “Objectivity” in Canadian Newsroom’s Reporting on Gaza w/ Mount Royal University’s Gabriela Perdomo Páez: 7 August, 2025

International Desk: Flawed “Objectivity” in Canadian Newsroom’s Reporting on Gaza w/ Mount Royal University’s Gabriela Perdomo Páez: 7 August, 2025 International Desk: Flawed “Objectivity” in Canadian Newsroom’s Reporting on Gaza w/ Mount Royal University’s Gabriela Perdomo Páez: 7 August, 2025, 14.92 MB
Thu 7 Aug 2025

“When Genocide Wasn’t News” is a recently released Canadian book that documents major Canadian news organisations' reporting on Gaza.

The book claims the media has “whitewashed Israeli violence, dehumanised Palestinians and smeared a growing protest movement.”

Gabriela Perdomo Páez, Assistant Professor of journalism at Mount Royal University, says journalists who support peace efforts can easily be accused of being “biased” in favour of those promoting peace. 

For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Perdomo Páez about Canadian news coverage of Gaza.

NCEA Changes, FBI Office, and the Rising Unemployment Rate w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 7 August, 2025

NCEA Changes, FBI Office, and the Rising Unemployment Rate w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 7 August, 2025 NCEA Changes, FBI Office, and the Rising Unemployment Rate w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 7 August, 2025, 10.56 MB
Thu 7 Aug 2025

The government is abolishing NCEA and is set to replace it with two new qualifications for Year 12 and 13.

The United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is opening a standalone office in Wellington.

And the unemployment rate rose to 5.2% in the June quarter of this year.

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

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Ricardo Menendez-March: 6 August, 2025

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Ricardo Menendez-March: 6 August, 2025 Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Ricardo Menendez-March: 6 August, 2025, 24.95 MB
Wed 6 Aug 2025

Earlier this week the government announced they’d be replacing the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) with a new set of national secondary school qualifications.

Minister of Education Erica Stanford says the current NCEA system was failing to help students develop critical thinking skills and was difficult for parents to navigate as well.

In that same week, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the FBI would be opening a dedicated law enforcement attaché office in Wellington. Defence Minister Judith Collins and Police Minister Mark Mitchell said that the new office would strengthen our ties with the five eyes alliance, with Patel additionally saying the move would counter Chinese influence in the region.

And the Green party recently launched a petition calling on the government to reverse policies of theirs related to emergency housing access that the Greens say have led to an increase in homelessness across the country.

For our weekly catchup with the Green party, Oto spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March to get the party’s take on all of these issues.