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.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speaks to Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative, Dr Oliver Hartwich and Associate Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Auckland, Dr Neal Curtis about Liz Truss resigning after just six weeks as UK Prime Minister.
Victoria University student and disability advocate Alice Mander talks about the panel set to lead a review of Aotearoa’s electoral law.
And for our Bird of the Year special, Jessica interviewed Forest and Bird's Ellen Rykers and several campaign managers about the competition.
Forest and Bird’s annual Bird of the Year competition, Te Manu Rongo-nui o te Tau, is underway, with 71 candidates vying to be 2022’s top bird.
News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Ellen Rykers from Forest and Bird about why Bird of the Year is so important for raising awareness about Aotearoa’s diverse bird species, 80% of which are facing extinction.
And to help you make your decision, Jessica spoke to several campaign managers about why their bird should get your vote, and why Bird of the Year is important to them.
A new study from UoA by PhD student Ariel-Micaiah Heswall has tracked collisions that seabirds have as a result of light pollution in Auckland. Stella spoke to Ariel this morning, about her findings.
Welcome to the Thursday Wire! This week on the show...
Stella speaks to Sabrina Manu from Amnesty International and one of the winners of the Gary Ware Legacy Award about their work on a documentary about human trafficking in Aotearoa.Tuva’a has his weekly catch up with Labour’s Andrew Little, and Stella speaks to Juressa Lee from greenpeace Aotearoa about their calls for the UN to drop sponsors like Coca Cola from COP27 climate change talks. On Greendesk this week, Joel Armstrong speaks to Professor Craig Stevens from NIWA and University of Auckland about the state of Aotearoa's Marine environment. Finally, Stella speaks to Ariel Macaiah Heswall about her research into light pollution’s effects on seabirds.
The Gary Ware Legacy Award, run by Amnesty International focuses on facilitating our rangatahi to advocate for human rights. Applications for the next round are open currently! Stella spoke to Sabrina Manu from Amnesty about their work in the space of empowering youth, and a past recipient of the award about her project being created with the grant.
Ahead of COP27, set to begin 6 November, Coca-Cola has been announced as a corporate sponsor. Greenpeace is among those calling for the UN to drop Coca Cola as a sponsor.
Stella spoke to Juressa Lee, Greenpeace Aotearoa plastics campaigner, about their organisations’ calls for the UN to drop Coca Cola as a sponsor for the event.
Today on Green Desk, Joel Armstrong spoke to Professor Craig Stevens from NIWA and the University of Auckland about the state of Aotearoa's marine environment.
News and Editorial Director Jess Hopkins speaks to Brooke van Velden in our weekly chat with the ACT Party.
Joe looks at a recent study which shows ocean warming rates being predicted to quadruple by 2090 if we don’t mitigate climate change. He spoke to Dr Kevin Trenberth, from the University of Auckland, who co-authored the study. Joe also speaks to Ariel-Micaiah Heswall from the University of Auckland about the toll light pollution takes on Seabirds.
We have Eurovision with our European Correspondent Cameron Adams, who tells us about The War in Ukraine, Liz Truss and Swiss Chocolate Bunnies. Cameron also speaks to Radical Aid Force, an aid group operating in Ukraine.
A new comprehensive review of global ocean temperature data has allowed researchers to paint a clear picture of ocean warming since the 1950s, and predict future warming scenarios.
They found that if we don’t take action, the rate of ocean warming will be four times larger than the current level by 2090, with dire consequences for all life on Earth.
However, Authors also point out that if the world succeeds in limiting global surface temperature to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, as per the Paris Agreement, the acceleration of ocean warming will stop at around 2030, highlighting the need for urgent action to mitigate climate change
Joe spoke to Dr Kevin Trenberth, from the University of Auckland, who co-authored the study on the matter
From Dec 27 to Jan 18, all train lines across Tāmaki will be shutting down for summer maintenance, a closure which is expected to be the last of its kind ahead of the opening of the City Rail Link.
The current measles outbreak in Tāmaki is being continually monitored, with exposure sites being updated daily on info.health.nz. The public are encouraged to track whether they’ve been in possible contact with the virus, and get up to date on any vaccinations to limit possibilities of transmission.
Auckland Council are supporting arts initiatives across the summer months, with Music in the Park kicking off in early January, and Movies in the Park following in February.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about these topics, and also asked for comment following the attack by two gunmen at Bondi Beach earlier this week.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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
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