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.
The vaccine mandate deadline for firefighters has been extended by two weeks to allow for more people to get their shots. Those firefighters that remain unvaccinated beyond the deadline may face job losses. According to Wattie Watson, the secretary of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union, there are about 300 career firefighters that are currently unvaccinated or have not disclosed their vaccination status. Louis spoke to Wattie about the deadline extension and getting firefighters vaccinated.
UPDATE: Since this interview went to air, 95bFM has been informed by Fire and Emergency that 50 career firefighters have not disclosed their vaccination status to the organisation as of Saturday 13 November.
With the world focussing on COP26 discussions of climate change and pollution are rife. Ten days on from Guy Fawkes Day, Charlie speaks with Dr Joel Rindelaub from the University of Auckland to find out how much air pollution is created through fireworks. Dr Rindelaub discusses the biggest culprits for pollution in the fireworks market, and how these products can be affecting the whole communities health.
Dr Nikki Renall of Massey University, Taranaki, has been awarded nearly $350,000 to undertake nutritional research involving Māori communities. Within the research, Dr Renall's hopes to connect Māori back to their traditional narratives around kai, and create a treasured space for historical information that can be used to help eating habits of future generations. Dr Renall's speaks with Charlie on the current hopes for the research project, and where Māori focused nutritional research should be taken in the future.
As grocery prices rise during Auckland's lockdown, then need for food packages has risen with it. With the government providing less economic aid to families during the current lockdown than during last years restrictions, Food Banks and Missions are wanting to see more government support to citizens in need. Charlie spoke to Janet McAllister, spokesperson for Child Poverty Action Plan, about what should be offered to those struggling to alleviate mounting pressures off charitable groups.
The government has announced they are revoking the 'Three Strikes Policy' introduced by the National Party in 2010. The policy imposes the maximum punishment on a violent offender after their third offence. While it aimed to keep the worst criminals out of society, it has since been criticised for absurd and disproportionate sentences on offenders. Noah Ferguson-Dudding spoke to Professor Andrew Geddis from the University of Otago about the policy, its potential flaws, and future improvements he would like to see to Aotearoa's criminal justice system.
Noah speaks to Christopher Luxon about his future career goals, Professor Andrew Gaddis about the Three Strikes Policy and Dr Elizabeth Kerekere about Oranga Tamariki.
Ilena also speaks to Councillor Pippa Coom about housing intensification, level 3.2 in Tāmaki Makaurau and electric buses.
This week, Ilena talked to Pippa Coom about the Medium Density Residential Standards and what went down at Auckland Council's meeting about it last week. They also talked about Council services available at Level 3 Step 2 and new electric buses that will be replacing Auckland's diesel buses.
Justin spoke to Health and GCSB Minister Andrew Little about home isolation for Covid community cases, new Covid drugs, and the GCSB's decision to retire the satellite domes at Waihopai station.
On their weekly chat, Justin and Health and GCSB Minister Andrew Little talked about the GCSB retiring the satellite dishes at Waihopai, home isolation for postive Covid community cases, and drugs to treat Covid.
Justin also spoke to Anti-Base Campaign's Murray Horton on retiring the Waihopai satellite dishes.
Producer Joe Wickins spoke to the University of Auckland's Kate Hannah on the spread of misinformation and disinformation since the Delta outbreak.
He also spoke to Judy Lawrence of Victoria University of Wellington on said how local leaders and planners can reduce risks from coastal threats without waiting for law reform.
The GCSB has said it will retire and remove the domes and satellite dishes at its Waihopai station after thirty years of service.
The GCSB’s Director-General Andrew Hampton said the dishes have reached the end of their service life and become obsolete under changes of global telecommunication and information technology.
Mr Hampton also said information obtained by the dishes at Waihopai only accounts for half a percent of all intelligence produced by the bureau last year.
The Minister responsible for the GCSB Andrew Little said in a statement that retiring the Waihopai satellite dishes does not diminish New Zealand’s contributions to the Five Eyes partnership.
The first of the two dishes and radomes are expected to be removed next year but the GCSB will continue to operate out of Waihopai Station.
Murray Horton is a campaigner with the Anti-Bases Campaign that called for the closing of the GCSB stations at Waihopai and Tangimoana and he has been attending annual protests outside Waihopai since the station became operational in 1988. He spoke to Justin Wong.
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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