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The Wire

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.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine w/ Veronika Orekhivska, a Ukrainian Student Living in New Zealand: March 03, 2022

Russian Invasion of Ukraine w/ Veronika Orekhivska, a Ukrainian Student Living in New Zealand: March 03, 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine w/ Veronika Orekhivska, a Ukrainian Student Living in New Zealand: March 03, 2022, 18.18 MB
Thu 3 Mar 2022

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is continuing to devastate civilian areas in an attempt to demoralise Ukrainian forces. 

Ukrainians in Aotearoa are calling for the New Zealand Government to do everything it can to sanction Russia and offer military aid, humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. 

I spoke to Ukrainian student Veronika Orekhivska, who is studying in Auckland. In our interview, she gives a personal account of growing up in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, and shares what the war has been like for her friends and family who are there.

We also discuss Russia's history of agression towards Ukraine, the leadership of Ukrainian President Zelenksyy, and how disinformation has influenced people. 

Omicron's Impact on Blood Services w/ Asuka Burge: March 3, 2022

Omicron's Impact on Blood Services w/ Asuka Burge: March 3, 2022 Omicron's Impact on Blood Services w/ Asuka Burge: March 3, 2022, 5.75 MB
Thu 3 Mar 2022

Today, the New Zealand Blood Service released a statement detailing how they are preparing for the impact of Omicron. With cases surging at the moment, donor centres and mobile drives are dealing with limited donors due to people not coming in to donate. Joe speaks to Asuka Burge from the New Zealand Blood Service on how they plan on addressing this.

Architecture in Tāmaki Makaurau w/ NZIA Gold Medalist Julie Stout: March 2, 2022

Architecture in Tāmaki Makaurau w/ NZIA Gold Medalist Julie Stout Architecture in Tāmaki Makaurau w/ NZIA Gold Medalist Julie Stout, 17.77 MB
Wed 2 Mar 2022

Julie Stout has recently been announced as the 2021 New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medalist. The award is a big deal in the architecture world - it’s the highest honour for architecture in Aotearoa, and recognises architects for their life’s work and contribution to the advancement of architecture in New Zealand. Julie is not only an architect but she is also an educator and an activist, and she is the first ever woman to receive the award. This week on the Wire Frances and Julie spoke about Julie's life as an architect, her activism work within Tamaki Makarau, and her hope for the future of architecture in Aotearoa.

Europe Segment w/ Cameron Mulgan: March 2, 2022

Europe Segment w/ Cameron Mulgan: March 2, 2022 Europe Segment w/ Cameron Mulgan: March 2, 2022, 13.6 MB
Wed 2 Mar 2022

This week Frances introduces our new (yet to be named) European segment where she will be catching up weekly with ex bFM vollie Cameron Mulgan. He is living in Berlin and joining us as a Europe correspondent. This week Cameron and Frances spoke about the developments in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the free trade deal recently signed between the UK and New Zealand.

The NZ-UK Free Trade Agreement with Emeritus Professor Jane Kelsey: March 03, 2022

The NZ-UK Free Trade Agreement with Emeritus Professor Jane Kelsey: March 03, 2022 The NZ-UK Free Trade Agreement with Emeritus Professor Jane Kelsey: March 03, 2022, 23.37 MB
Wed 2 Mar 2022

Producer Alex Wierzbicki interviews Emeritus Professor Jane Kelsey about the recently signed Free Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Professor Kelsey is a well-known commentator on globalisation and neoliberalism and has previously criticised the NZ Government for it's approach to FTAs.

The Wire with Frances: March 02, 2022

The Wire with Frances: March 02, 2022 The Wire with Frances: March 02, 2022, 91.91 MB
Wed 2 Mar 2022

This week on the Wire Frances kicks off speaking to our Europe Correspondent Cameron Mulgan, they talk about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the free trade deal recently signed between the UK and New Zealand. 

Alex speaks with with Professor Jane Kelsey about the equity-based components of the newly announced Free Trade Agreement with the UK. 

Frances then talks to Julie Stout who is the first woman to be awarded the New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal Award. They talk about her life and work, and her hope for the future cityscape of Auckland.

Finally, Alex speaks to the ACT party’s Brooke Van Velden about the government’s response to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine and the end of self-isolation for fully-vaxxed New Zealand travellers.

Linguistics of the government's Covid-19 communications strategy w/ Julia de Bres: March 1, 2022

Linguistics of the government's Covid-19 communications strategy w/ Julia de Bres: March 1, 2022 Linguistics of the government's Covid-19 communications strategy w/ Julia de Bres: March 1, 2022, 17.21 MB
Tue 1 Mar 2022

Throughout the pandemic, the New Zealand government’s Covid-19 response has been one of the strongest in the world. But its communications strategy has not been as widely praised, with government advice inclung phrases such as “you’re good bro”, the “shot cuz” vaccination buses, and the infamous "Two Shots for Summer" campaign.

I spoke to Julia de Bres, a senior linguistics lecturer at Massey University, about the government's communication strategy, and their seemingly odd usage of Kiwi slang.

The Wire with Christina: March 1, 2022

The Wire with Christina: March 1, 2022 The Wire with Christina: March 1, 2022, 125.51 MB
Tue 1 Mar 2022

Today on the Tuesday Wire, Christina kicks off the show with Dear Science, which has moved to Tuesday! She talks to Professor Allan Blackman from AUT about the distinction between "chemical weapons" and other weaponry, the accidental discovery of radioactivity 126 years ago, and new research showing dogs can go into mourning when their canine companions die.

Christina also speaks to Professor Bronwyn Hayward and Professor Anita Wreford, two researchers involved with the Intergovernmental Climate Change report released today. They discuss the findings of the report, economic and agricultural impacts, and what can be done to mitigate the global crisis.

Producer Trishil Dahya speaks to Associate Professor Stevel Weddell from the University of Canterbury about new research that can improve the quality of satellite imagery.

And finally, Christina speaks to senior linguistics lecturer Julia de Bres from Massey University about the government's Covid-19 communication strategy and the language used in their vaccination campaigns.

IPCC Climate Change Report: March 1, 2022

IPCC Climate Change Report: March 1, 2022 IPCC Climate Change Report: March 1, 2022, 27.57 MB
Tue 1 Mar 2022

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has recently released a new report, the second of three reports. The 2022 report focuses on climate change impacts, adaptaion and vulnerability, looking at ecosystems and human communities. it reviewed how vulnerable we are and how well the natural world and human societies can adapt to climate change.

Christina Huang spoke to Professor Bronwyn Hayward and Professor Anita Wreford, two researchers from Aotearoa who worked on the climate change report.

Cultural infrastructure w/ Chloë Swarbrick: February 28, 2022

Cultural infrastructure w/ Chloë Swarbrick: February 28, 2022 Cultural infrastructure w/ Chloë Swarbrick: February 28, 2022, 10.45 MB
Mon 28 Feb 2022

An open-letter with 60 signatures was submitted by Green MP Chloë Swarbrick with solution suggestions to improve culture infrastructure in Auckland. Charlie spoke to to Chloë about the proposals, accepted solutions and the future of artistic and social spaces.

Removing barriers for the disabled community in emergency preparedness & weighing up proposals to reduce flood risks at Takapuna Golf Course w/ Councillor Shane Henderson: 26 June, 2025

Removing barriers for the disabled community in emergency preparedness & weighing up proposals to reduce flood risks at Takapuna Golf Course w/ Councillor Shane Henderson: 26 June, 2025 Removing barriers for the disabled community in emergency preparedness & weighing up proposals to reduce flood risks at Takapuna Golf Course w/ Councillor Shane Henderson: 26 June, 2025, 15.37 MB
Thu 26 Jun 2025

Last week, the council’s Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) Committee said they would be seeking to implement a number of recommendations that improve emergency readiness for disabled populations.

Following a hui last year where community members were invited to bring forward issues relating to future planning for natural disasters, Sara was interested to hear about how the council is taking suggestions on board.

As well, Auckland Council has been considering proposals to mitigate flood risks around the Wairau catchment, including one which would see the reduction of the size of the Takapuna Golf Course, to convert the space into a flood catchment.

Producer Sara spoke to Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson on both of these topics, firstly by asking him to discuss the desired outcomes relating to emergency preparedness for disabled people, and the council’s first steps to implementation

The Zoh-mentum behind Zohran Mamdani’s New York City Democratic Primary Win w/ 95bFM Reporter Sanat Singh: 26 June, 2025

The Zoh-mentum behind Zohran Mamdani’s New York City Democratic Primary Win w/ 95bFM Reporter Sanat Singh: 26 June, 2025 The Zoh-mentum behind Zohran Mamdani’s New York City Democratic Primary Win w/ 95bFM Reporter Sanat Singh: 26 June, 2025, 15.23 MB
Thu 26 Jun 2025

Zohran Mamdani has all but won the Democratic Primary in New York City after key competitor Andrew Cuomo conceded the race. 

Mamdani will now be the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor.

His campaign was built on cost-of-living, where Mamdani presented himself as an authentic, Democratic Socialist, grassroots campaign leader.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to 95bFM reporter and South Asia correspondent Sanat Singh about Momdani’s win, what this means for the communities he represents, and where to from here.

Regulatory Standards Bill, Destiny Church, and the Taxpayers Union-Curia Poll on Cook Islands Citizenship w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 26 June, 2025

Regulatory Standards Bill, Destiny Church, and the Taxpayers Union-Curia Poll on Cook Islands Citizenship w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 26 June, 2025 Regulatory Standards Bill, Destiny Church, and the Taxpayers Union-Curia Poll on Cook Islands Citizenship w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 26 June, 2025, 14.72 MB
Thu 26 Jun 2025

A reported 131,000 submissions were made on the Regulatory Standards Bill.

The Bill, proposed by the ACT party, includes a set of principles outlining “responsible regulation.” Notably, it does not include any mention of either version of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Last weekend, hundreds of Destiny Church members marched on Queen Street in a rally that they called “in defence of faith, flag, and family.”

And the Labour Party has criticised the framing of a poll question by the Taxpayers Union/Curia on whether or not Cook Islanders should retain automatic New Zealand citizenship. 

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden asked Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about all of these topics.

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Hūhana Lyndon: 25 June, 2025

Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Hūhana Lyndon: 25 June, 2025 Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party's Hūhana Lyndon: 25 June, 2025, 25.29 MB
Wed 25 Jun 2025

Recently the Green Party commissioned independent legal advice to look into the government’s $200 million investment in new gas fields that was carried out last month and found out that the investment was in breach of the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS).

NZ First MP Shane Jones recently announced that he’d be drafting a member's bill to force Ngāpuhi into a single commercial settlement, which would prevent hapū from negotiating separate commercial redresses and remove any reference to hapū sovereignty from the settlement terms.

And the Green party recently issued a call to the New Zealand government to condemn the US strikes on Iranian Nuclear facilities, almost a week after Iran and Israel had both been trading missile strikes between each other.

For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke with MP Hūhana Lyndon to get the party’s take on all of these issues

Scrapping the census and subsequent concerns w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 24th June, 2025

Scrapping the census and subsequent concerns w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 24th June, 2025 Scrapping the census and subsequent concerns w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 24th June, 2025, 13.24 MB
Tue 24 Jun 2025

Last week, Statistics Minister Shane Reti announced plans to scrap the nationwide census moving forward. The census is the largest statistical survey done in Aotearoa, and provides the bulk of population data used in research and decision-making. Reti says the census is “no longer financially viable” and will be replaced with a combination of smaller annual surveys and administrative data. 

While the change looks good on paper, there are concerns around how the change in data collection could affect representation of marginalised and minority groups. Census data tends to be more protected from bias than administrative data and smaller surveys, meaning there are more opportunities for misrepresentation. Some statisticians are particularly concerned about the potential exclusion of marginalised rural communities. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked him about the census decision and its implications on marginalised and minority groups.

Dear Science w/ Doctor Cushla McGoverin: 24th June, 2025

Dear Science w/ Doctor Cushla McGoverin: 24th June, 2025 Dear Science w/ Doctor Cushla McGoverin: 24th June, 2025, 29.62 MB
Tue 24 Jun 2025

This week on Dear Science, our expert, Dr. Cushla McGoverin, chatted with us about the early human subspecies of Denisovans, plants having an extra set of even deeper roots, and sea spiders farming their own bacteria.

Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!

Psilocybin and Melatonin, Taxpayers Funding Cancer Medicines for Private Facilities, Criticisms of ACT MP Karen Chhour regarding Bootcamps w/ the ACT Party’s Simon Court: 23 June, 2025

Psilocybin and Melatonin, Taxpayers Funding Cancer Medicines for Private Facilities, Criticisms of ACT MP Karen Chhour regarding Bootcamps w/ the ACT Party’s Simon Court: 23 June, 2025 Psilocybin and Melatonin, Taxpayers Funding Cancer Medicines for Private Facilities, Criticisms of ACT MP Karen Chhour regarding Bootcamps w/ the ACT Party’s Simon Court: 23 June, 2025, 19.28 MB
Mon 23 Jun 2025

Associate Health Minister, David Seymour, has recently announced changes to Psilocybin and Melatonin availability.

Psilocybin, the compound found in magic mushrooms, will be available for certain patients suffering from poor mental health outcomes. Melatonin, which is used for insomnia and jetlag, is set to be available over the counter.

For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to him about this move, and the potential accessibility concerns with accessing these medications.

They also discussed taxpayers set to be funding newly-funded cancer medicines for private facilities.

Finally, they discuss opposition parties criticised Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, over a lack of transparency regarding the effectiveness of boot camps for youth offenders, especially as boot camps have received a boost of $30 million, despite the pilot programme still being ongoing.

But first, they discussed Psilocybin and Melatonin.

International Desk: “No Kings” Protests for Democracy in the United States w/ University of Connecticut’s Jeremy Pressman: 19 June, 2025

International Desk: “No Kings” Protests for Democracy in the United States w/ University of Connecticut’s Jeremy Pressman: 19 June, 2025 International Desk: “No Kings” Protests for Democracy in the United States w/ University of Connecticut’s Jeremy Pressman: 19 June, 2025, 17.09 MB
Thu 19 Jun 2025

Last Saturday, over 2,000 protests took place across all 50 American States against President Donald Trump. 

The protests coincided with Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the US Army, and they served as a direct response to the military parade in Washington, DC.

The organisers of the protests say they aimed to reject “authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarisation of our democracy.”

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Jeremy Pressman, Professor of Political Science at the University of Connecticut about the protests and the backlash towards them from the Trump administration.

Developing amidst flood risks, Auckland Council's conflict between intensification plans and Auckland's flood plains w/ Councillor Julie Fairey: June 19, 2025

Developing amidst flood risks, Auckland Council's conflict between intensification plans and Auckland's flood plains w/ Councillor Julie Fairey: June 19, 2025 Developing amidst flood risks, Auckland Council's conflict between intensification plans and Auckland's flood plains w/ Councillor Julie Fairey: June 19, 2025, 32.67 MB
Thu 19 Jun 2025

Housing intensification is a key priority for Auckland Council as Auckland's population is forecast to reach 2.3 million by 2050. 
But as planning for growth continues, some Auckland residents have expressed concern about the approval of developments in areas on flood plains or particularly prone to natural disasters.

With Kāinga Ora selling homes as ‘high risk investments’ in areas which were impacted by flooding in recent years, and 15 percent of all granted consents for new builds by Auckland Council being on floodplains, I spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about how the council is taking into account these issues for the coming years.

Scrapping the census, sick leave, and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 19 June, 2025

Scrapping the census, sick leave, and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 19 June, 2025 Scrapping the census, sick leave, and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran w/ Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni: 19 June, 2025 , 9.74 MB
Thu 19 Jun 2025

Statistics Minister Shane Reti has announced that the Census form will be scrapped and instead replaced with smaller surveys and administrative data.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed openness to reducing sick leave entitlements.

And tensions between Israel and Iran continue to escalate as Israel’s war on Gaza continues, threatening global security.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.