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.
For Dear Science this week, our expert Doctor Joel Rindelaub spoke to us about fungi recognising patterns, planting trees to reduce inflammation, and how to give the best gifts.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Tom Rutherford about several controversial National Party policies in light of the Labour Party’s annual conference and claims that the current government is ‘taking us backwards’.
Producer Athena spoke to The University of Auckland Law Faculty’s Rob Batty, about a trademark dispute between Australian fashion designer, Katie Perry, and US pop-star, Katy Perry.
And they spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, George Laking, about concerns regarding the Getting to Smokefree 2025 Plan.
The Getting to Smokefree 2025 Plan, launched last week by Associate Minister of Health, Casey Costello, is predicted by academics, and Health Coalition Aotearoa, to fail. Concerns have risen regarding the plan's focus, as many of the previous governments successful population-based strategies appear to be excluded.
Producer Athena spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, George Laking, about what the Smokefree 2025 plan is, who it is expected to fail, and where the focus should be to make the plan more effective.
With his return to the oval office in the United States, Donald Trump's second presidential term has begun to flesh out fears of an authoritarianism like countries such as China and Russia.
Producer Yesenia spoke to University of Auckland Associate Professor of Global Studies, Chris Ogden about the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump returning to the oval office, the upcoming concerns people should be aware of and the reduction of freedom of speech happening as a result.
Producer Evie speaks to Te Pāti Māori's Mariameno Kapa-Kingi about the thousands who have enrolled in the Māori Roll following the hīkoi mō te tiriti, the gang patch legislation coming into effect, and the COP29 climate summit talks.
Evie also catches up with the ACT Party's Simon Court about the party marking one year in government and how they think they’ve done so far, along with the gang patch ban legislation officially coming into power.
Producer Yesenia speaks to the PSA’s National Health Sector lead, Ashok Shankar, on the Government planning to axe 1500 public health care roles.
She also speaks to Associate Professor of Global Studies at the University of Auckland, Chris Ogden, about Donald J. Trump's return to the oval office and his push to authoritarianism.
And finally, producer Evie speaks to senior research fellow at the University of Auckland Dr Anna Brooks on the just released Royal Commission Inquiry into Covid-19 and how it fails to address the long term impacts of the disease.
The government plans to axe 1500 roles within public health care that would affect Data & Digital media groups responsible for managing outdated IT systems.
Producer Yesenia spoke to the PSA’s National Health Sector lead, Ashok Shankar regarding the upcoming fears that come with these roles no longer being available, how this massive cut will affect nurses and health care workers and the impact of this axing of 1500 roles will affect the general public.
Last week the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 was released.
The report delved into the lessons learnt during the pandemic, featuring 39 primary recommendations within the 713 page report.
These recommendations explored a number of social, economic and health impacts of the pandemic, how the government responded and how the country could be better prepared for future pandemics.
The report explores the good and not so good moves by the government, and how they could have been more efficient in their response.
However, research fellow at the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute, Dr Anna Brooks says that the report fails to consider the long term impacts of Covid-19 that continue to affect many New Zealanders today.
Producer Evie spoke to Dr Brooks about these concerns, and how realistic it is that the recommendations will actually be implemented.
The University of Auckland’s Professor Mark Henaghan and researcher Christian Poland argue that children’s rights to a stable home are neglected by laws that prioritise adult interests.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Labour spokesperson for Auckland and Rainbow issues Shanan Halbert about the new Federal Street Police Station in the Auckland CBD, a potential 70% surge in Public Transport pricing, and an evidence brief on Puberty Blockers from the Ministry of Health.
For State of the States this week they speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about new targeted tariffs proposed by Trump, the case against Trump for election interference being dropped, and the new Attorney-General Nominee.
For City Counselling this week, Sofia speaks to Councillor Shane Henderson about the new police station on Federal Street in Auckland CBD which was announced earlier this week.
She also speaks to Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Mark Henaghan, about calls to reform children’s housing rights.
And she speaks to Researcher at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Dr Olga Pantos, who is on the ground in Busan, Korea for the final International Plastics Treaty negotiations.
In 2022, world leaders made a historic agreement to negotiate a global and legally-binding treaty on plastic pollution by 2024. This week, negotiators from across the globe are in Busan, Korea for the final negotiations on this International Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution.
Producer Sofia spoke to Researcher at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Dr Olga Pantos, who is on the ground in Busan for these final negotiations
The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as COP29, concluded in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku last week.
This year’s climate change conference was particularly controversial, with the host - Azerbaijan, being a major oil producer, with almost 2,000 lobbyists from the oil and gas industry attending and with many small island nation states in attendance objecting to the conference’s $300 billion financial agreement to help them address the impacts of extreme weather events.
Wednesday Wire Host, Oto, spoke to Bronwyn Hayward a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Canterbury, to discuss the outcomes of the COP29 conference and the New Quantified Goal in Climate Finance that came from it.
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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