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.
New research, ‘Indigenous Rights Beyond the Liberal Frame,’ has shown that certain human rights principles in the country are ironically being used to restrain Māori governance and tino rangatiratanga.
On Thursday last week, Intern Zanoor spoke to Andrew Erueti, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Auckland and the lead of the study, about this study.
As we venture deeper into the second half of President Donald Trump’s first year of his second term, his actions continue to sow chaos and undermine stability across the globe.
Under this Trump Administration, the US has increasingly acted as a ‘rogue state’ - a term used to denote both uncertainty in international politics, and oppressive domestic policies.
Producer Alex spoke to Associate Professor and Programme Director for Global Studies at the University of Auckland, Chris Ogden, about how Trump has turned America into a Rogue State, and how that will impact the world.
A select committee report has recommended going ahead with a referendum on four-year Parliament terms.
Māori health providers have brought a case to the High Court asking for a declaration of inconsistency between the Government's disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
And the Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche, is currently considering a “major shakeup” of several ministries, including those for Women, Pacific Peoples, Disabled People, and Māori Development.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, regular Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, regular Wire Host Caeden spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about four-year parliament terms, the High Court challenge against the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora, and the Public Services Commissioner investigating potential changes to several lived experience ministries.
For International Desk, they spoke to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about the current experiences of international students in the United States, especially as the Trump administration targets Universities for funding cuts.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Sanat spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about a new plan up for limited consultation to build higher-density housing within the city.
He also spoke to the University of Auckland’s Associate Professor of Pacific Studies Gordon Nanau about the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum and the surrounding geopolitical tensions between Pacific Island nations.
The Trump administration’s crackdown on both tertiary education and immigration is creating an uncertain environment for students in the United States, particularly international students.
It also comes as the administration has slashed research funding, rolled back protections for disadvantaged student groups, threatened lawsuits against colleges, dismantled the education department and more.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Yale Daily News’ Andre Fa’aoso, about what it’s like to be an international student in the United States right now.
Auckland Council will go to iwi authorities, government ministries and local boards for consultation on a draft plan that is proposing to increase intensification in the inner suburbs and strengthen hazard rules for new buildings.
Auckland’s population will cross 2 million people in the 2030’s however there is not currently enough housing available in the market to house everyone who calls Auckland home.
This is exacerbated by affordability issues, where many renters and first-home buyers are being priced out of the market.
The Prime Minister also recently said that he wants to see consistent house price growth as the country grapples with a long-tailed recession.
Producer Sanat talked to Councillor Julie Fairey about this new plan to zone for nearly 2 million new dwellings in the city and why it is that Auckland Council is pursuing this change in the current moment.
A meeting of all major pacific nations is happening in the Solomon Islands next month. The stability of this conference has been threatened by renewed geopolitical tensions in the Pacific with China and the United States fiercely competing for
New Zealand recently withdrew funding from the Cook Islands, who have signed a multitude of bilateral deals with China that brings the nation in closer cooperation with the Asian superpower.
Tuvalu previously threatened to boycott the conference as the US, China and Taiwan (which are partner countries) have been barred from participating amid rising geopolitical tensions but has since said they will attend.
Producer Sanat wanted to understand a little bit more about the importance of the Pacific Islands Forum and the role that New Zealand plays in the conference of nations, especially in a pacific environment where climate change threatens the sanctity of so many Pacific Island communities.
Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters recently unveiled plans to purchase almost $3 billion worth of US aircraft to replace the Defence Force's ageing 757s.
The five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, would be procured directly through the United States' Foreign Military Sales programme.
Oto spoke with Valerie Morse from Peace Action Wellington about the government’s purchase plan, who said that the purchase was “disappointing” given the context of cuts to public services and infrastructure that have occurred within the government’s current term and it was indicative of New Zealand potentially being brought into a wider regional or global conflict by the United States.
Late last week The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification or IPC, declared a famine in Gaza, warning that 41,000 children are at a heightened risk of death. The report said that the number of people facing – what they referred to as ‘emergency’ conditions – is expected to rise to 1.14 million people, or around half of the total population of Gaza, which is currently about 2.1 million people.
Under IPC criteria, a famine can only be formally declared when three conditions are met: at least 20% of households face extreme food shortages, at least 30% are acutely malnourished, and two or more people per 10,000 die each day from hunger or hunger-related diseases.
To talk about what is only the fifth declared famine in the last 15 years, Producer Max spoke with ChildFund CEO Josie Pagani, to discuss what New Zealand can do to immediately help the situation.
Following on from our previous chat, recent events have led to Türkiye potentially pursuing a vote to suspend Israel from the United Nations.
Türkiye foreign minister Hakan Fidan has told the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Riyadh that Israel should be suspended from the crucial meeting of the general assembly next month due to its ‘genocidal aggression’. In response to this, Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa co-chair John Minto has urged New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters to take a stand on this issue.
To discuss a potential vote to suspend Israel from next month’s United Nations general assembly meeting, as well as New Zealand’s current stance on Israel and Gaza, Producer Max spoke with John Minto.
Tāmaki Makaurau’s council budget is among those impacted by the proposal of a rates cap, considering Tāmaki’s average 5.8% annual rates increase across the 25/26 financial year.
Youth homelessness is a growing concern as discussions continue around “move on” orders for those without housing in Auckland’s CBD.
And the Skycity Convention Centre is set to open in 2026, with high hopes for what it may bring for Tāmaki Makaurau after its prolonged development.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Counsellor Fairey about these topics.
The Trump administration has caused issues of significant food waste due to a range of its policies, including immigration raids, tariffs, cuts to food assistance programmes, and the destruction of food for programmes like USAID.
This has had huge consequences, including environmental impacts, as well as impacts on the estimated more than 47 million people in the US who don’t have enough food to eat, and those who have relied on US foreign aid that has been cut.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Garrett Graddy-Lovelace, Provost Associate Professor in Environment, Development & Health at American University, about these issues.
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Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year.
For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.
From today until the 4th of December, a conference will be held in Queenstown that will look into pest management and how best to protect native species.
The event not only brings experts in the sector from Aotearoa, but will also involve Australian experts as well.
Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week’s conference, and what to expect.
The government has recently announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
The ‘shake-up’ of regional councils has left concerns that the move would water down environmental regulations at a local level, reduce Māori and iwi voices in decision making, and would result in central government overreaching into local politics.
As well as this, Parliament’s Justice Committee has recommended passing the Electoral Amendment Bill, albeit with some amendments
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with the changes to regional councils.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka announced the government’s release of the new social housing investment plan which aims to shift to a “needs-based, data driven approach”.
The new flexible fund includes $41 million dollars in operating funding over the next four years, and the government have stated they expect to support up to 770 social homes and affordable rentals in the initial phase.
As well, Health Minister Simeon Brown last week announced a Cabinet decision to stop new prescriptions for puberty blockers for young people identifying as trans or experiencing gender dysphoria.
The rule, in effect from 19th of December, is based on recommendations from a UK National Health Service review which determined that the evidence to the benefits or risks of the treatment was “remarkably weak”.
The government is expected to pause new prescriptions until the outcome of a clinical trial being conducted in the UK, expected to be completed in 2031.
Wire Host Sara spoke with MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, firstly by asking about the flexible fund which will replace the so-called ‘patchwork of programmes’ in place for social housing.
Christmas Lights at MOTAT - experience Auckland’s most magical Christmas lights - heritage trams, festive music, Santa visits, and thousands of sparkling lights Tickets at MOTAT.NZ.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
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