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.
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.
Last week, thousands of secondary teachers went on strike demanding a better pay agreement from the government.
The Post-Primary Teachers’ Association rejected the government’s offer for a one percent pay rise, which they say is the lowest in generations.
Amidst staff shortages forcing some schools to take days off with not enough teachers, in addition to a variety of recent curriculum changes, union leaders have said the education sector is stretched-thin.
As well, the latest Security Threat Environment report has shown that New Zealand is facing the ‘toughest’ national security environment of late, with issues like global conflicts, violent extremism, foreign interference and espionage at the forefront of concern
In this day and age, “just use AI” seems to be a common response when people need a quick and easy solution to make digital art. There’s currently no protection for AI-generated art in Aotearoa, but commercial law Professor Alex Sims believes such copyright laws could be possible. But whose art is it, really?
Producer Faith spoke to Alex about the complexities and grey areas of AI art, how copyright needs to be approached, and how artists who create their own works without being aided by AI are already affected.
For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman will be talking to us about all things birds
For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Sara spoke to MP Carl Bates about pressures on the education system, and New Zealand’s diplomatic relations
For Green Desk, Sara spoke to University of Auckland associate professor Maria Armoudian about a secret memo by the Ministry of Environment warning the government about the need to meet its global climate targets.
Producer Faith spoke to commercial law professor Alex Sims from the University of Auckland about AI-generated art, who owns the copyright, and what laws need to be put in place
A secret memo by the Ministry for the Environment intended for the central government reveals advice that New Zealand’s failures on climate action may negatively impact our diplomatic relations.
The warning stated that, as New Zealand delays decisions and action on our commitments under the Paris Agreement, we may risk undermining our key alliances with countries like Australia, Canada, the UK and countries in Europe.
More importantly, University of Auckland Associate Professor Maria Armoudian, director of Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society, says that our climate failings are reflective of a global “tragedy of the commons”, which will have urgent negative impacts for our Pacific neighbours.
For this week’s Green Desk, Sara spoke with Armoudian about this Ministry for Environment warning and how New Zealand should be seeking to improve its climate policies.
She started by asking what her expectations and hopes are about the government’s response to this memo
A recent international study, including using recordings of birds in New Zealand’s North Island, has shown that birds worldwide are singing for almost an hour longer due to light pollution.
The study used audio recordings of millions of birds, and these findings show that light pollution confuses birds, impacting their natural cycles and could have an impact on their health.
News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Dr Natalie Forsdick, the President of Birds New Zealand, about these recent findings.
Following on from my chat with Forsdick, Joel also spoke to Dr Rashi Parker, the Fundraising Manager at BirdCare Aotearoa, a native bird hospital based in West Auckland, about these findings, how light pollution is impacting the birds coming into the hospital, and what people can do to ensure birds are carefully transported to the hospital if needed.
If you want to support the work BirdCare Aotearoa, you can donate to their charity here.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about last week’s secondary school teachers' strike, and New Zealand joining over 20 other countries in calling for “immediate and independent” foreign media access into Gaza.
Producer Alex spoke to the Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Otago Leah Watkins about a recent study showing the extent to which children are exposed to junk food, alcohol, and gambling marketing, and why and how we should regulate.
Joel spoke to Dr Natalie Forsdick, the President of Bird New Zealand, about a new study showing birds are singing almost an hour later due to light pollution.
Joel also spoke to Dr Rashi Parker, the Fundraising Manager of BirdCare Aotearoa, a native bird hospital based in West Auckland, about what she is seeing at the hospital, and about the wider impacts of light pollution.
And Alex also spoke with Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland, Bill McKay, about the Council’s vote to make changes to Housing Density Rules in the Auckland Unitary Plan, and how it will affect Aucklanders and public transport.
Last week, up to 19,000 secondary school teachers across the motu went on strike for a day over what they say is an inadequate pay offer of 1% each year for three years by the Ministry of Education.
The union, the Post Primary Teachers’ Association, or PPTA, say this pay offer is the lowest in a generation.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to MP Simon Court about these strikes and the Ministry’s pay offer.
They also discussed New Zealand joining 26 other countries in calling for “immediate and independent” foreign media access into Gaza, and to allow Israel to protect journalists reporting from within the besieged strip.
The joint statement by the Media Freedom Coalition says, "Journalists and media workers play an essential role in putting the spotlight on the devastating reality of war. Access to conflict zones is vital to carrying out this role effectively. We oppose all attempts to restrict press freedom and block entry to journalists during conflicts".
Joel also spoke to Court about this, but first, we discussed last week’s secondary school teachers’ strikes.
Last week, a study was published showing that children are exposed to unhealthy food, alcohol, and gambling marketing in some form 76 times a day on average.
Academics at the University of Otago have called for restrictions on such marketing, as exposure to these ads for children has a negative impact on their health and wellbeing
Producer Alex spoke to Associate Professor of Marketing Leah Watkins from the University of Otago about the study, how it affects Aotearoa’s young people, and what the government should do about it.
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.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
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
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!
95bFM 
