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.
On this week’s regular segment in collaboration with OurActionStation, we’re discussing sand mining. Jessie Stanley, creator of the Stop Sand Mining On Pakiri Beach petition, spoke with Trishil today about the petiton, greenpeace's support, and how the ecosystem is threatened by this move
Auckland Central and Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick has launched a petition to pedestrianise Queen Street.
This comes ten years after the council signed off on the Auckland City Centre Master Plan with intentions to pedestrianise that has consistently faced barriers.
Although this could see benefits in returning foot traffic to queen street, some have commented on fears about lost sales from vehicle drivers and safety.
Liam spoke to Swarbrick, asking about why she thinks Tāmaki Makaurau could benefit from a carless Queen Street.
He also had a chat with Greg Harford from Retail NZ about some of the issues they think could arise without cars.
This week on the Friday Wire Casper talked to Auckland city counsellor Pippa Coom about the council’s finances and recent controversy around cycleway spending, as well as Dr Murat Üngör from the University of Otago about the latest GDP figures and predicting economic recession.
Liam spoke to Auckland Central and Green Party member Chloe Swarbrick about her push to pedestrianise Queen street, as well as Greg Harford from Retail NZ to talk about his concerns.
He also discussed the watergate scandal with University of Canterbury's Peter Field to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the original break-in.
On the Seventeenth of June, 1972, a group of burglars working underneath staff of the Nixon administration broke into the Democratic National Committee office in the Watergate Complex.
This began the defining political scandal of the 20th century, as Richard Nixon and his colleagues continuously tried to cover up their involvement.
This led to Nixon's impeachment and subsequent resignation in 1974, marking a major event in US history that set a precedent for how we can hold politicians to account across the world.
On the fiftieth anniversary, Liam spoke to University Of Canterbury Professor in American History, Peter FIeld, on the impact of Watergate and its presence in the current conversations on the January Sixth Capitol Riots.
Stats NZ recently released GDP figures for the last quarter, which showed a 0.2% decline in the New Zealand economy compared to the previous quarter’s 3% rise.
However, this decline is not unique to New Zealand and has been identified in many developed economies across the world which have reported either a drop in GDP or a slow in growth.
Many top New Zealand economists, referencing this number and other cruical recent developments in the world economy, are now predicting an economic recession in the next year.
To get a better idea of what the numbers mean, and what an economic recession entails, Casper spoke to Dr Murat Üngör from the department of economics at the University of Otago.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, E tū is celebrating their campaign to win Fair Pay Agreements for some of our lowest paid workers, including cleaners and security guards. The Fair Pay Agreements Bill is currently before Select Committee, and E tū members and supporters made over 1,000 written submissions in support of the bill.
While all submitters told their own story, some clear themes came through. Submitters were particularly concerned about low wages, the cost of living, health and safety, workplace stress, safe staffing levels, a lack of respect at work, hours of work, and the ‘race to the bottom’ which sees companies using low wages to stay competitive.
An E tū delegation also made an oral submission to the Select Committee on Monday.
Joe spoke to Amy Hansen, a team leader from E tū, on the matter.
Winter means a tough time for many in our city here in Auckland. With temperatures steadily dropping and the cost of living steadily rising, keeping warm and well-fed is a daily concern for many. Gratis is an initiative that takes leftover food from cafes around the city and helps to feed those who most need it in our cities. On the Wire this week, guest producer Frances Wright caught up with Team Leader Natalie Wendzich to talk about the initiative.
This week on the Thursday Wire! Emilia is away, so Frances is our Producer today.
Tuva’a speaks to Labour Party’s Andrew Little about a new National Bowel Screening, the New Baby Unit at Waitākere Hospital, and the record number of patients in the Emergency Department.
Joe will be speaking to Professor Warwick Bagg from the University of Auckland about increasing medical student places helping to address the medical practitioner shortage, he’ll also be talking to E tu about International Justice Day for Cleaners and Security workers. He’ll also be having a chat to the SPCA about their influx of puppies during Winter.
Frances keeps to the winter theme and talks to Natalie Wendzich about the Gratis initiative and their work providing meals for the Street Community in Auckland, and also talks to Edy Setyawan about his research discovering a nursery for manta rays in Indonesia.
After eight years of research, a rare manta-ray nursery has been confirmed in the Raja Ampat islands in Indonesia by a team of researchers at the University of Auckland. The team’s research is the most comprehensive description to date of the manta ray anywhere and is prompting the Indonesian government to take extra measures to protect the area. The species has a special link with manta rays that hang out in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland. On the Wire this week, guest producer Frances Wright chatted to Edy Setyawan about the rays, Steve Irwin, and his work on this research project.
SPCA kennels across the country are being flooded with canines big and small, all-in need of a good home. The Winter typically is a time where a large intake of puppies are taken in by the SPCA.
Joe spoke to Laura Millar, the Support Services Manager at the SPCA here in Auckland, 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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