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.
Following a consistent year of pressure, the Victoria University of Wellington has announced its divestment from all Israeli government bonds and shares. The foundation has previously reported having close to $50,000, which they have divested following major Student sit ins and pushback.
The divestment is only the first step in a long process of boycotting Israel, however there is continued student backing and a recent petition attempting to further progress the severing of ties to Israel.
Producer Sasha spoke to spokesperson for Student Justice for Palestine Poneke, Frank Mackenzie about how continued student pressure led to University of Victoria Wellington divesting from Israeli bonds and stocks.
Researchers have estimated that Long Covid could be costing the New Zealand economy $2 billion a year.
The finding follows an Australian study which calculated the economic impact of Long Covid in Australia.
Producer Josef spoke to Professor of Health Economics Paula Lorgelly about the study, Long Covid, and what New Zealand can do about its economic costs.
Last week the government announced its new transport plan, focusing primarily on car and road developments and their flagship ‘roads of national significance’. This focus on roads and car developments has led the government to pull funding from other areas, such as public transportation, walkways, and cycleways.
Last week, the commerce commission also released its first annual grocery report, identifying issues with a lack of competition in Aotearoa’s grocery sector and increased prices faced by consumers. The report advises that the problems stem from a lack of regulation, which enables the supermarket giants to act as they please.
This week in our catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to Katie Nimon about the government’s new transport plan and the commerce commission’s first annual grocery report.
For Dear Science this week, we chatted with our expert Professor Allan Blackman about genetic fingerprinting, mobile phones not being linked to brain cancer, and how eating habits can make you live longer.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about the government’s newly announced transport plan and last week’s grocery commission.
They also spoke to Professor of Māori Studies Margaret Mutu of Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa, and Ngāti Whātua, about Cabinet’s reviewing the first draft of ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill.
On the Green Desk, Jack Marshall talked to Dung Beetle Innovations’ Dr Shaun Forgie about dung beetles and New Zealand's issues with manure.
And producer Josef spoke to Professor of Health Economics, Paula Lorgelly, about the economic impacts of Long COVID.
The ACT Party’s treaty principles bill was a hot topic during the election campaign last year, and made it into the coalition agreement, with the National party committing to support it to the first reading.
The bill has met controversy since the campaign, criticised by Māori leaders for its potential to remove Māori from decision making processes entirely. Recently, a group of 440 Christian leaders also spoke out against the bill in an open letter to MPs asking them to vote against the bill.
Wire host Castor spoke to Professor of Māori Studies Margaret Mutu of Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa, and Ngāti Whātua, about Cabinet’s reviewing the first draft of ACT’s treaty principles bill and its potential impacts on Māori.
Last Thursday, following a six day tangihanga to honour the passing of Kīngi Tūheitia, a new Māori monarch was selected.
That monarch is his youngest child and only daughter, Kuini Nga wai pono i te po. Kuini Nga wai is 27 years old making her the second-youngest Māori monarch to be appointed, and only the second female monarch of the Kiingitanga.
Kuini Nga wai’s ascension to the throne signals a new era and forward movement for the Kiingitanga.
Producer Evie spoke to University of Auckland kaiārahi, Waikato descendant, and whānau of the Kiingitanga, Tui Kaumoana-Steedman about how Kuini Nga wai was selected for the role.
They also discussed how she may take the Kiingitanga in a new direction, what issues she’ll be aiming to highlight, and how her rule may have an effect on Aotearoa as a whole.
A new study into how New Zealand seafood product manufacturers display claims such as ‘dolphin friendly,’ ‘sustainably fished,’ and ‘responsibly caught,’ on their products has lead to concerns that these companies may be ‘greenwashing,’ as the claims are too ambiguous, being contradictory, and going against international best practice and the New Zealand Commerce Guidance.
The study suggests that such claims are hard to verify, and may mislead consumers.
News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Senior Research Fellow in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Auckland, Kathryn Bradbury, about the study, and what needs to change to adequately inform consumers of the products they are purchasing.
For our weekly catch up, Producer Evie spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about new concerns about the charter schools bill, a rushed gun reform bill and the final council consensus on Māori wards.
For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori, News and Editorial Director and Monday Host, spoke to Mariameno Kapa-Kingi about the passing and tangihanga of Kīngi Tūheitia, and the crowning of Kuini Nga wai pono i te po as the new monarch.
Evie spoke to Tui Kaumoana-Steedman, a University of Auckland kaiārahi, Waikato descendant, and whānau of the Kiingitanga about the new Maori monarch Kuini Nga wai pono i te po.
Joel spoke to Senior Research Fellow Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Auckland, Kathryn Bradbury, about a new study showing seafood product manufacturers are ‘greenwashing’ their merchandise through positive environmental claims.
And Evie spoke to Etuini Ma’u Senior lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland about poverty leading to an increased risk of dementia.
Dementia is expected to double in the next 20 years in Aotearoa, but for Pasifika and Māori, it’s expected to triple.
New research shows the risk of developing dementia is 60% higher for people living in the most deprived areas of NZ compared to those in the least deprived areas.
Because of the disproportionate representation of Māori and Pasifika in lower socio-economic groups, the risk of those developing dementia also sits at a disproportionately high level.
Senior lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland, Etuini Ma’u led the public health expert briefing that took a deep dive into the research.
Producer Evie spoke to Ma’u about the factors of poverty that lead to this increased dementia risk, and how these can be combated on both an individual and wider structural level.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host spoke to Shanan Halbert about the Palestine protests in Taamaki Makaurau and the new national land transport programme.
Last week, Health Minister Simeon Brown announced a series of changes to Aotearoa's health system following years of delays, understaffing, and overcrowding. Brown particularly highlighted a need for public-private partnerships to reduce wait times.
Also in politics this past week, NZ First leader Winston Peters has been raising complaints about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) measures in Aotearoa. His concerns echo those in the United States, where recently elected president Donald Trump has enacted policies removing DEI measures from federal agencies.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire Host Castor asked about each of these issues, starting with the health sector overhaul.
This week on Dear Science our expert Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about the world's oldest meteorite crater, healing the hole in the ozone, and high-fat diets impacting memory.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
The coalition government’s free school lunch programme has faced significant criticism from various groups and individuals.
This follows the remodelling of the previous programme, the Ka Ora Ka Ako programme, to, in what ACT Party Leader David Seymour says, save taxpayers over $100 million and fix food wastage.
However, this current model has resulted lunches arriving significantly late, plastic having been found melted into food, and students describing the food as “bland,” and looking like “prison food”.
Responding to the criticisms facing the current model of the free school lunch programme, in an interview with Newstalk ZB, Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, says those complaining should “make a Marmite sandwich and put an apple in the bag.”
For our first weekly catch with Te Pāti Māori for the year, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Takutai Kemp about how she is viewing the lunch programme, and her opinions on Luxon’s recent remarks regarding the model.
We also spoke about the Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Bill first reading in Parliament, and Te Pāti Māori being the only party not to support the Bill, and the changes to free bowel cancer screenings by changing the age from 60 to 58, which would result in scrapping the pilot programme that would have allowed Māori and Pacific people free screenings from age 50.
But first, they started off by asking her about how the party is feeling about the current state of the government’s free school lunch programme.
The government has announced plans to lower the free bowel cancer screening age from 60 to 58. In order to do this, they are scrapping the pilot programme that would have allowed Maori and Pasifika to have free screening from age 50.
While this opens the programme up for another 120,000 Kiwis, it takes away free screening from a different 100,000 - essentially just shuffling eligibility around.
Despite bowel cancer rates being lower in Maori than Pakeha the death rates are higher. Some are calling the change institutionalised racism.
It’s also been called a broken promise, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon promising in his election campaign to match Australia’s free screening age, which stands at 45.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Simon Court about the changes - which ACT has praised for its ‘needs not race’ initiative.
We also spoke about The ACT Party pushing back on calls for new online literacy and numeracy to be scaled back, after principals said they were failing students in poorer communities.
Along with last week's Labour cabinet reshuffle, which among the changes saw the introduction of a minister for jobs.
But, they started off by asking Court about the impact the Bowel Cancer screening changes will have on Māori and Pasifika, and whether the party denies that race should be considered when treating the disease.
The United States has frequently been in the news cycle recently for the Trump administration’s unstable foreign policy decisions.
This includes their decisions to cut 90% of USAID foreign contracts and to pause military aid to Ukraine following a fiery meeting between the leaders of both countries.
University of Otago’s Professor Richard Jackson describes President Trump’s behaviours as a threat to global order and security.
For International Desk this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to him about the instability of United States foreign policy and the global ramifications of this.
Recently, Auckland Council has re-committed $15 million in funding; which they have pledged since 2016, to restore the historic St. James Theatre in Auckland’s CBD — one part of a cross-party agreement between the Council, Central Government, and owner of the theatre.
The theatre, which has been inoperational since a fire broke out in 2007, left significant damage and resulted in the closure of the venue.
The revitalisation of St James has seen support from the public and a variety of different figures, including the co-leader of the Green Party and MP for Auckland Central, Chlöe Swarbrick, and the organisation Save the St. James Theatre Auckland.
For our weekly catchup with Auckland Council, News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson, about Auckland Council's re-commitment to revitalise the St James Theatre and their goals regarding this.
We also spoke about a proposal by Council to develop half of Takapuna Golf Course into wetlands, in aims of mitigating flooding risks which the area is susceptible to.
This move has been criticised by the Golf Course, who say there are better ways to adapt the park without taking away any of the area available to golfers.
But first, they started off by asking how Shane is feeling now that we are one step closer to having the St James operational again.
Earlier this week, an investigation was launched into the school lunch programme after baked-in plastic was found in several lunches.
However, principals say the programme has already had various issues since Associate Education Minister David Seymour switched providers as a cost-saving measure last year.
And the coalition government is set to introduce legislation that would give the option of 4 year parliamentary terms.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy LeaderCarmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
The ministry for Primary Industries has launched an investigation after a number of meals served to children by the School Lunch Collective were found to have their plastic packaging melted into their food.
This would be the fourth investigation launched into the collective after the government introduced the Alternative Provision Model for Ka Ora Ka Ako, replacing local suppliers.
Around this same period of time, a consultation document was sent to schools across the motu by education minister Erica Stanford asking for feedback on a proposal to defund and disestablish 174 full time roles for Resource Teachers of Literacy and Resource Teachers of Māori.
And the Greens recently issued a call to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon calling on him to rule out any possibility of joining the AUKUS military pact, following the contentious bilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Whitehouse last week.
For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March for the Green Party’s take on all of these issues.
Last week the government announced a new citizen’s arrest policy that would allow members of the public to detain those who commit a crime. The policy has been met with criticism for its potential impact on retail workers and marginalised communities. While the government has asserted that citizen’s arrest should only be conducted when it is safe to do so, some are still worried about safety, especially with employer/employee power dynamics.
Others are concerned that the law will encourage members of the public to conduct citizens arrests on anyone they suspect of committing a crime, even if their suspicions are false. This would predominantly affect marginalised groups already affected by harmful stereotypes
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Tuesday Wire Host Castor asked about how the new Citizens Arrest policy will work in Aotearoa.
For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin, chats to us about the International Space Station being too clean, birds of paradise being more colourful than we originally thought, and stretchy displays.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
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