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.
Today on the show Jessica Hopkins speaks to Associate Professor James Ussher from the University of Otago about Rapid Antigen testing and University students Harry and Ned about their New Zealand sign language interactive cards.
Producer Ilena speaks to Associate Professor Helen Roberts from the University of Otago School of Business about a study she co-authored into the positive association between women on boards and more women in senior management.
She also spoke to Counsellor Pippa Coom about the Mayoral Conservation Awards which were held online last night, and a recent ground-breaking poll that gathered public opinion on the restoration and conservation of the Hauraki Gulf.
Justin talked to Health Minister Andrew Little about oximeters at home isolation, the effects of the vaccine mandate, and his thoughts on the National party leadership crisis.
Judith Collins has been rolled as National leader.
Before the news was announced, Justin talked to Auckland University's Dr Lara Greaves on the crisis.
On their weekly chat, Justin and Health Minister Andrew Little talked about his thoughts on the National Party leadership crisis, oximeters at home isolation, and the vaccine mandate's effect on the health system.
Neighbourhood Watch reports on COVID-19 in South Australia and a controversial religious discrimination bill at the Federal Parliament.
This week Zazi and Brooke talk about the subject of minimum wage increases and the new Workplace Vaccination Tool.
First off, the two talk about minimum wage increases. Zazi asks Brooke why ACT believes a moratorium should be put on minimum wages, if Brooke has sympathy for minimum wage workers, and whether she thinks businesses would stop failing if a moratoriuman were to be put in place.
Then, Zazi speaks to Brooke about the new Workplace Vaccination Tool announced yesterday. Brooke shares if she thinks this will be a good guideline, if she thinks the Government have done a good job with guidance and advice, as well as if ACT are more on the side of blanket vaccine mandates or on the side of mandating vaccines for specific businesses and workplaces.
In recent years, some schools have changed the way they layout their classrooms. They have gone from a traditional classroom layout, to a more open-plan classroom one.
The reception from these more open-plan classroom spaces has been very broad. Some students enjoy this more social way of learning, some feel overstimulated, and others are finding the shift both good and bad.
And recently, an article was written about these changes in school learning spaces - how it is going so far, what some of the results have been, and whether it is a good thing that schools are trying these new ways of learning. Zazi spoke with the author of this particular article, Leon Benade. Leon Benade is an Associate Professor in the school of Education at AUT, and his current research work focuses on Innovative Learning Environments.
This week on the Wednesday Wire, the show kicks off with Christina having her regular segment Dear Science with AUT Professor Allan Blackman. They talk about a chemical emitted by babies that can affect our behaviour; explore how a spacecraft can deflect an asteroid, and investigate a brand new particle accelerator that can help us better understand atoms.
After that, Zazi speaks with AUT Associate Professor Leon Benade, discussing the shift many schools have made from traditional learning spaces to more open-plan classroom spaces.
Then Christina talks to the New Zealand CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Peter Dickens, on the upcoming Pedal4Prostate fundraiser.
And finally, Zazi has her regular talk with ACT's Brooke van Velden, where they talk about the subject of minimum wage increases and the new Workplace Vaccination Tool announced yesterday.
The Healthcare exec Brian Thompson was shot dead by a masked assailant last week.
The crime has gained significant controversy and attention online, with many using it to restart the debate on the inequities of the United States healthcare system.
And this week Yale University was the latest college to commit to divesting from weapons manufacturing after a student vote.
For State of the States this week Wire Host Caeden speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about both of these topics.
The government as announced their plan for the Cook Strait ferry a year after they scrapped Labour’s plan, including cancelling the ferries the Labour government had ordered.
And a new report from the Ministry of Social Development has revealed nearly a quarter of beneficiaries are not receiving their correct entitlements.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
For City Counselling this week, producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Shane Henderson about proposed time-of-use charging to solve congestion problems in Tāmaki and Council selling their remaining Auckland Airport shares last week.
The Green party recently released He Ara Anamata - the Green party’s emissions reduction plan.
The document covers more than 10 areas of the economy and energy Sector that a Greens-led government would be looking to adapt to minimise carbon emissions and protect the natural landscapes of Aotearoa.
It also comes 5 months after the government released their own draft emissions plan. Numerous experts pointed out that the government is behind on their own plan’s targets to meet the crucial emissions budget for 2031-2035.
For their weekly catchup, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss the party’s new emissions reduction plan and how they would address climate and the economy in a greens-led government.
Last election, one of the National Party’s main campaign promises was to be ‘tough on crime’, promising to increase police coverage and penalties for crimes. A target was set to increase the number of police officers by 500 by November 2025, however some police leaders today say this goal is unrealistic.
The government also announced this week some shakeups to insulation standards, which they say should make houses more affordable.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor spoke to him about police staffing targets and new insulation standards.
This week on Dear Science, our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about what latrines teach us about people, climate variation affecting Chinese dynasties, and invasive species becoming threatened.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
Last week it was revealed that two of the ten participants in the government's pilot bootcamp programme were on the run.
The youth were two months into the community rehabilitation phase of the programme, following the three month youth justice residence phase. Both teens were found in the weekend, but had allegedly reoffended, and are now set to come before the court.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, who have been heavily advocating for this programme, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about this incident.
She also talks to him about proposed changes to employment law which would give employers the power to dismiss workers earning over $180,000 without the employee refuting the decision.
And finally, she talks to him about David Seymour’s incumbent run as Deputy Prime Minister, which is set to begin in May of next year.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about changes to Auckland Transport’s responsibilities, nationwide bus and train fare hikes, and concerns over the opening of the City Rail Link.
For State of the States this week, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Andre Fa'aoso from the Yale Daily News about President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, who was due to be sentenced next week for three felony charges.
They also discuss Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director, who is the latest in a long list of unorthodox picks for government positions from Trump
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