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.
Today on the Wire, Jemima Huston speaks to NZEI Te Riu Roa’s President Liam Rutherford about the government’s latest funding for school counsellors.
Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Leeanne Langridge joins Jemima live on the show to speak about the airline's latest announcement that Covid-status restrictions will be put in place for passengers on all domestic flights from December 14 2021.
Joe Wickins talks to Steve Abel, the Senior Campaign Manager for Greenpeace, about how fertiliser companies are to blame for cancer-related deaths due to water contamination.
Finally on Tomorrow’s World, Isla and Stella look at concepts of walkability and neighbourhoods for urban planning with Dr Lee Beattie.
A collective of 40+ organisations including student associations has launched a petition, calling for the Minister of Transport to implement free public transport for Community Service Card holders, full and part-time tertiary students, and under-25s nationwide.
The campaign states that many people in these groups rely on public transport the most, but are the most likely to not be able to afford it.
Jessica Hopkins spoke with National President at New Zealand Union of Students' Associations Andrew Lessels about why this is an important issue for students in particular.
This week on the show, host Jessica Hopkins speaks to National President at New Zealand Union of Students' Associations Andrew Lessels about the Free Fairs Campaign.
Producer Louis Macalister interviews Antarctica New Zealand’s CEO Sarah Williamson about the redevelopment of Scott Base and the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March about their calls for the government to support people in council housing.
Joe Wickins speaks to Lisa Woods from Amnesty International about Aotearoa Justice Watch.
And Christina Huang continues her regular segment with the Waitematā Local Board. This week she speaks to Board Member Graeme Gunthorp.
Last week, Amnesty International, along with other organisations, launched a new platform called Aotearoa Justice Watch.
The platform helps those experiencing issues within Aotearoa’s prison system speak out, with the aim of increasing transparency after reports of human rights abuses.
Here is Joe Wickins speaking to Lisa Woods, the Campaign Director from Amnesty International on the matter.
Noah speaks to Christopher Luxon about National's plan to scrap MIQ facilities, Labour MP Helen White about a vaccination drive at TAPAC and Sarah McBride about climate change anxiety.
Ilena speaks about women's rights in prison with Sauonamaali'i Dr Karanina Sumeo, and Auckland Transport's parking strategy review with Councillor Shane Henderson.
A new report has looked at how climate change issues affect the mental health of New Zealanders. Looking at the wellbeing of Kiwis over a year has shown the detrimental affect of climate change and how it can cause anxiety. Noah Ferguson-Dudding spoke to the author of the report, Sarah McBride from Victoria University of Wellington about her findings.
This morning, Ilena spoke with Saunoamaali'i Dr Karanina Sumeo, the EEO Commissioner for the Human Rights Commission, on a report on the harmful treatment and subsequent breaches of human rights of women in segregated housing in prisons across Aotearoa.
In addition to the disproportionate use of unreasonable force against women in comparison to men, the report found that Māori and Pacific women face prolonged segregation, with as many as 93% of those segregated in prison for 15 days or longer being Māori or Pacific women.
The report was authored by Dr. Sharon Shalev from the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford, and commissioned directly by Dr. Karanina Sumeo to look into the use of such punitive practices and provide recommendations for Corrections to improve these conditions.
Ilena caught up with Councillor Shane Henderson about Auckland Transport’s Parking Strategy Review and how that figures into Auckland’s wider climate change plan. He discussed changes that are being considered for parking in central Auckland districts, as well as how things might change further out, and how public transport infrastructure needs to concurrently be made an accessible and convenient alternative if we want a greener future.
The top of Northland remains at Alert Level 3 after fears that Covid-19 is spreading undetected in Northland.
In the same time, an Otago University research into Covid-19 vaccination rates found that numbers are significantly lower in rural areas than in urban areas.
Dr Kyle Eggleton is the Associate Dean of Rural Health from the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Auckland. He is also a Northland GP with a Maori health provider. He spoke to Justin Wong.
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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