Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Sara Mckoy, Max Micheel, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
Last week the Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced a hike to the Official Cash Rate of 75 basis point, which was quite a shock and has been reported on extensively as it’s not usually changed this quickly.
Casper had a chat to Robert MacCoulloch from the University of Auckland about what the OCR is, why the Reserve Bank raised it, and what this might mean for New Zealanders.
National party has proposed to send teen offenders to military-style boot camps. Ten to seventeen year olds are considered being put in a new “serious young offender” category. National's leader Christopher Luxon said the policy was about reforming young offenders and he was confident it would work. Amnesty International and others have said it’s a bad idea. Arno spoke to University of Auckland criminologist Dr Ronald Kramer to find out more.
Spike speaks to Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick about the St. James Theatre and the campaign for its restoration.
Arno speaks to Haden McRobbie from Te Whatu Ora about New Zealand's smoking rates and nicotine consumption trends, and criminologist Dr Ronald Kramer about National's bootcamp plan for youth offenders.
Recent statistics for the 2021 and 2022 period shows smoking rates are at an all-time low in New Zealand. Arno spoke to Haden McRobbie, regional director for the national public health service Te Whatu Ora, to find out more about New Zealand’s nicotine-consuming population, and to find out how the organisation is progressing on its goals toward a smoke-free New Zealand.
Blood glucose levels are traditionally measured by the finger prick method.
A device will take a drop of blood from your finger between six to ten times a day and will measure the glucose level in the blood.
However, a new technology called a continuous glucose monitor will allow people with diabetes to go about their lives without having to stop multiple times a day to test their glucose levels.
David spoke to Otago University Professor Ben Wheeler about the technology.
Joe speaks to Greenpeace’s James Hita, who confronted a deep sea mining ship off a Mexican coast last week. He also speaks to Dr Nick Munn, a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy from the University of Waikato about justifying lowering the voting age.
95bFM’s News and Editorial Director Jess Hopkins speaks to White Ribbon Day Ambassador Floyd Ormsby about teaching and role modelling ‘healthy masculinity.’
Daniel looks at a project from Waka Kotahi which will look at lowering the speed limit. He talks to Professor of Human Geography Simon Kingham. He also speaks to Anita Azeem from the University of Otago about why gender stereotypes can be problematic in children's movies.
Finally, David speaks to Otago University’s Ben Wheeler about a lifesaving diabetes treatment.
'Power to the princess: This princess is brave, bold and needs no prince'
This is the title of a study showing that children movies often enforce gender stereotypes, but they also hold the power to quickly shift them.
Daniel spoke with Anita Azeem who explains how some disney movies carry strong messages about gender roles and how children are affected by these messages. She also talks about her research thats shows how gender stereotypes can be changed.
Daniel talks about this question with Simon Kingham. Across the country there are plans to lower the speed limits. These plans are part of the Road to Zero project which assigned local councils to envision a plan with zero deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads. According to Professor of Human Geography Simon Kingham this is the right thing to do.
Today is White Ribbon Day, an annual campaign aiming to prevent men’s violence by teaching and role modelling ‘healthy masculinity’.
This year the day is focused on tackling the causes of violence.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to White Ribbon Day ambassador Floyd Ormsby who is encouraging people to show kindness towards our young men, and to let them know that men can be caring, supportive, ethical, respectful, friendly, generous and awesome.”
They discuss White Ribbon Day and the message Ormsby wants people to take from his own experience.
Yesterday, the latest six-monthly survey of housing support providers under the National Homelessness Data Project, or NHDP, showed that homelessness in Auckland has more than doubled in the year to September. The report also found that 14 of the 21 agencies interviewed reported an increase in homelessness.
As well as this, Australia’s ban on social media for children under 16 has taken effect. And according to an interim report into social media harm, a social media ban for children in New Zealand is worth exploring further.
And last week the Government announced the replacement of the Resource Management Act, or RMA. The coalition said its replacement will slash red tape and supercharge growth.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the Government’s new RMA reforms and a potential social media ban in New Zealand.
But first they discussed the latest report on Auckland homelessness.
The Parliament’s Workforce and Education Committee has released an interim report on an inquiry into the harm young New Zealanders face online. The government has recently announced an overhaul of the Resource Management Act and introduced two new bills in its place, the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill.
For our weekly catch-up with the National Party, Producer Vihan spoke to MP Carl Bates, who is also the Deputy Chairperson of the Workforce and Education Committee, about the new findings of the interim report, the new Natural Environment Bill, and the Fast Track Approval Amendments Bill.
The government has announced the overhaul of the Resource Management Act (RMA), which will be replaced by two different bills, the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. The RMA is set to be fully replaced by 2029.
The RMA, which has been in effect for 34 years, is polarising across the political spectrum.
In announcing the reforms, RMA Reform Minister, Chris Bishop, says that “pretty much everything” will be quicker and less costly under the new regime.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about this overhaul of the RMA.
They also discussed The Education and Workforce Committee’s interim report on the harms young people experience online, with a majority recommending a ban on social media for under-16-year-olds.
But first, they discussed the overhaul of the RMA.
Safety measures on public transport are of growing concern this week following the fatal and unprovoked attack that took place on route 76 in East Tāmkaki on Monday night.
Earlier this week there were also multiple critical incidents that occurred simultaneously across Auckland’s West Coast beaches and waterways, seeing an unusually high deployment of emergency services and surf lifesavers for this early in the summer.
Swedish home and furniture retailer Ikea opened in Sylvia Park a week ago today, drawing huge excitement for many.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about these topics.
On Sunday, “Block the Ban” held a protest against the government’s decision to ban new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria.
The United Nations’ committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination has released a report warning that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights.
And last week, the government rejected the recommended methane emissions targets.
This is despite officials warning against the government doing so, stating that lowering methane emissions targets could increase New Zealand’s contribution to global warming.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.
The government is pausing the new prescriptions of Puberty Blockers to gender diverse and transgender young people from the 19th of December onwards, following a similar move by the UK after the results of the NHS’s Cass Review.
Wire Producer Flo spoke to activist Lauren Craig about the effects of the legislation, her petition “Reverse the decision to deny transgender and takatāpui young people access to puberty blockers” against the changes and the wider political motivation for the policy.
If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here
Last week was scrutiny week, where Parliament focuses entirely on holding government agencies and ministers to account, to check-in on how well the Government is performing.
Many of the questions surrounding scrutiny week have been focused on climate change, with many recent reports highlighting the Government’s questionable decision-making.. The biggest headline was that the coalition had chosen to reject all three of the climate change commission’s recommendations to strengthen New Zealand’s emissions targets.
Along with this, the United Nations released a new report, where they’ve warned that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights and entrenching disparities for the indigenous population. In the 14-page report, the UN expressed concerns over multiple government policies affecting Maori, including the disestablishment of the Maori Health Authority, cuts to public funding for Maori services, and minimising the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the report released by the United Nations, but first they discussed Scrutiny Week and the Government’s recent climate change decisions.
The biannual Scrutiny Week took place in Parliament last week, with meetings across select committees and government departments focussed on scrutinising the outcomes of government work.
These include hearings on ministries like Health, Housing, Environment and Justice.
Wire Host Sara spoke to National MP Carl Bates about Scrutiny Week, firstly by asking him to talk about the meetings he was involved in
With the rise of fast fashion outlets like Shein and Temu alongside the wider mainstream options available that contribute substantial amounts of clothing waste to landfill, experts are calling for an urgent response on a governance, business, and individual level.
Wire Host Sara spoke to Mindful Fashion Chief Executive Jacinta Fitzgerald about the problem, and the industry response to sustainability, as well as University of Auckland Marketing Professor Mike Lee about the importance of ethical consumption.for individuals.
First, is the interview with Fitzgerald, where she begins by talking about the organisation Mindful Fashion.
Following this, Sara spoke to Marketing Professor Mike Lee about the research he has undertaken around consumerism.
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