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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.

Plant-based market w/ Emma Brodie: May 30, 2022

Plant-based market w/ Emma Brodie: May 30, 2022 Plant-based market w/ Emma Brodie: May 30, 2022, 16.86 MB
Mon 30 May 2022

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'.

NZ California Climate Agreement w/James Shaw and Lisa Ellis

NZ California Climate Agreement w/James Shaw and Lisa Ellis NZ California Climate Agreement w/James Shaw and Lisa Ellis, 35.68 MB
Mon 30 May 2022

New Zealand has signed a partnership to work with California on acccelerating their climate goals as a means to reach net zero carbon by 2050. This announcement comes off the back of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's visit to the United States.

The Partnership will guide our transport policies, with the aim to have 30% of vehicles on the road running electric by 2035.

Trishil opened the piece by speaking to Climate Change Minister James Shaw about the partnership, the individual policies attached to them, and our trajectory for hitting our major climate goals as a result of the partnership. Trishil then spoke to Philosophy and Politics Professor Lisa Ellis from the University of Otago on the matter.

Evolutional Adaptation and the Hihi Bird w/Dr Anna Santure

Evolutional Adaptation and the Hihi Bird w/Dr Anna Santure Evolutional Adaptation and the Hihi Bird w/Dr Anna Santure, 19.42 MB
Mon 30 May 2022

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.

US Barriers to Gun Control w/ Maria Armoudian: May 27, 2022

US Barriers to Gun Control w/ Maria Armoudian: May 27, 2022 US Barriers to Gun Control w/ Maria Armoudian: May 27, 2022, 17.98 MB
Fri 27 May 2022

In the wake of the recent tragedy that occured in Texas, a horrific school schooting which cost 21 lives, a discussion around gun regulation has resurfaced in the United States.

Casper spoke to Maria Armoudian from the Univeristy of Auckland about the state of gun control debate in the United States, a country that experiences disproportionately high levels of gun violence especially in schools, and what barriers may exist to regulation.

The Wire w/ Casper: May 27th, 2022

The Wire w/ Casper: May 27th, 2022 The Wire w/ Casper: May 27th, 2022, 105.37 MB
Fri 27 May 2022

Today on the Friday Wire:

Casper talked to Auckland city councillor Shane Henderson about investment in cycling infrastructure, as well as the public consultation closing on Auckland housing intensification.

He also spoke to Meng Foon, the Race Relations Comissioner about new rights-based guidelines for school uniforms.

Liam had a chat with the Green Parties Golriz Gharaman about her electoral reform bill and moving the voting age to sixteen, as well as political psychology professor Danny Osborne to discuss how the proposed changes could affect voters.

Casper also talked to Maria Armoudian from the University of Auckland about barriers to regulating guns in the United States.

And finally Liam spoke to Wattie Watson from the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union about the strike action firefighters have voted for and the issues that the industry has been dealing with for the past few years.

 

HRC's School Uniform Guidelines w/ Meng Foon: May 27, 2022

HRC's School Uniform Guidelines w/ Meng Foon: May 27, 2022 HRC's School Uniform Guidelines w/ Meng Foon: May 27, 2022, 18.08 MB
Fri 27 May 2022

The Human Rights Comission released a new set of guidelines for school uniforms and how they can be more culturally inclusive, as well as adhere to Te Tiriti.

The rights-based guidelines include specific recognition of Taonga Māori symbols such as tā moko and pounamu. 

Casper spoke with Meng Foon, the Race Relations Comissioner, about the guidelines, what’s in them and what kinds of impacts they might have on schools that choose to adopt them. Casper first asked what the new guidelines entail and what their purpose is.

 

Electoral Amendment Bill w/ Golriz Gharaman & Danny Osborne: May 27th, 2022

Electoral Amendment Bill w' Golriz Gharaman & Danny Osborne: May 27th, 2022 Electoral Amendment Bill w' Golriz Gharaman & Danny Osborne: May 27th, 2022, 37.61 MB
Fri 27 May 2022

The Green Parties Electoral (Strengthening Democracy) Amendment Bill has recently been drawn, allowing topics of electoral reform in Aotearoa to be brought to the surface.

The most talked-about part of the bill right now is the lowering of the voting age to sixteen, which would see New Zealand join countries like Scotland, Austria, Argentina, and Brazil amongst others.

Other aspects of the bill include enabling voters of Māori descent to change roll type at any time, implementing donation transparency and implementing the 2012 MMP Review recommendations.

To learn more, Liam spoke to the Greens spokesperson for electoral reform, Golriz Gharaman.

As this bill aims to vastly widen the eligibility to vote, many may question how people such as minors and prisoners could vote and change how our country works.

Thus, Liam also spoke to Danny Osborne, a political psychology professor from Otago University about how these groups may approach voting and how we could change our electoral system for the better.

 

New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union Strike w/ Wattie Watson: May 27th, 2022

New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union Strike w/ Wattie Watson: May 27th, 2022 New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union Strike w/ Wattie Watson: May 27th, 2022, 21.16 MB
Fri 27 May 2022

The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union has recently voted to go on strike, after Fire and Emergency NZ refused their demands. 

The union claims their industry is understaffed and underpaid, with working conditions that are unsafe and causing major health issues to workers.

FENZ says they're surprised that a group dedicated to saving peoples lives would put those same lives at risk by going on strike.

To learn more, Liam spoke to NZPFU national secretary Wattie Watson about their strike and the working conditions that lead them to it.

 

Partygate w/ Aeron Davis: May 26, 2022

Partygate w/ Aeron Davis: May 26, 2022 Partygate w/ Aeron Davis: May 26, 2022, 30.1 MB
Thu 26 May 2022

Overnight, civil servant Sue Gray released her long-awaited report into a series of parties held in the prime minister's office while the UK was in covid lockdowns. 

While the report is impartial and doesn’t make any specific recommendations as to the repercussions Prime Minister Boris Johnson should face, it found that these events “should not have been allowed to happen”, and now the question has been passed to the Conservative Party to assess whether Johnson should remain in his post. 

Emilia Sullivan spoke to Aeron Davis, professor of political communication at Victoria University of Wellington about the inquiry.

 

The Wire w/ Joe: May 26, 2022

The Wire w/ Joe: May 26, 2022 The Wire w/ Joe: May 26, 2022, 106.22 MB
Thu 26 May 2022

This week on the Thursday Wire!

Joe speaks to Will Matthews, an organiser from the Public Service Association about the DHB’s Offer and ERA’s Recommendations that were released to Allied Health Workers this week. He’ll also be speaking to the Honourable David Parker, the Minister for Ocean and Fisheries about the nationwide rollout of cameras on commercial fishing vessels

Emilia speaks to Massey University’s Sally Casswell about Digital Alcohol Marketing crossing borders. She’ll also be speaking to Aeron Davis from Victoria University about the Partygate scandal in UK Politics after the official inquiry was released overnight.

That's us for the Thursday Wire!

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March: 14 May, 2025

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March: 14 May, 2025 Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March: 14 May, 2025, 26 MB
Wed 14 May 2025

Last week, the government announced that they would begin an official review of the Waitangi Tribunal and the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.

The government has said that the review is to ensure the Waitangi Tribunal remains effective and relevant, however, a number of Māori and treaty law experts have referred to the review as an attack on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles.

In that same week, the government announced that they would be investing $774 million towards improving the redress process for survivors of abuse in state care in Budget 2025. 

However, going against one of the key recommendations of both the Royal Commission and the Redress Design Group, the government will not be looking to set up a new redress scheme for abuse survivors.

And the government recently passed amendments to the Wildlife Act that would permit the “incidental killing” of certain native wildlife species by companies during lawful activities like construction and development.

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

Get Action! VUW Divest from Fossil Fuels w/ Hugh Acton from Climate Action VUW: 14 May, 2025

Get Action! VUW Divest from Fossil Fuels w/ Hugh Acton from Climate Action VUW: 14 May, 2025 Get Action! VUW Divest from Fossil Fuels w/ Hugh Acton from Climate Action VUW: 14 May, 2025, 16.16 MB
Wed 14 May 2025

In 2014, Victoria University of Wellington made an official promise to divest $650,000 worth of investments in fossil fuel companies which, at the time, comprised of 2.1% of the University’s total investments.

However, more than 10 years on, a student-led investigation found that the university still held significant investments in companies like Exxon Mobil and SHELL through third-party investment managers.

A year after a successful petition by Students for Justice in Palestine Pōneke calling on the university to divest funding from Israeli companies, a group of students from Climate Action Victoria University of Wellington have made renewed calls to the university to divest from fossil fuel companies. 

For this week’s Get Action! Oto spoke to Hugh Acton, a member of Climate Action Victoria of University of Wellington, who’s launched a petition calling on the university to disclose their investments in companies involved in fossil fuel production and to divest from them immediately.

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

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

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

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.

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: