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.
Artificial intelligence and generative AI have seen a major uptick in usage over the past two years, with impacts across society. Of particular note is the impact on education, with students using artificial intelligence to brainstorm, write, or edit their assignments.
Wire host Castor spoke to the Doctor Sarah Bickerton from the University of Auckland about issues with generative AI in education and what educators can do about it.
This weekend during a rally in Philadelphia, former president of the United States, Donald Trump, was injured in an attempted assassination. This morning, Trump was confirmed as the Republican party’s presidential nominee in this year’s US Presidential election.
In recent years, the United States has seen extreme levels of political polarisation, leading to increased tensions and activism across the political spectrum. Wire host Castor spoke to senior history lecturer at the University of Auckland, Paul Taillon, about what kind of impact the assassination attempt could have both on society and in the United States historical context.
The government recently announced its climate strategy for 2024, including five pillars in the different areas they plan to focus on. This government has been criticised previously for its inaction or ignorance of climate issues, particularly through policies such as agriculture’s removal from the Emissions Trading Scheme, the scrapped clean car discount, and the Fast Track Approvals Bill.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Castor spoke to MP Tom Rutherford about the government’s new Climate Strategy for 2024, particularly its focus on businesses.
For Dear Science this week, we chatted to Doctor Cushla McGoverin about giving an old antibiotic a makeover, frozen woolly mammoth DNA, and a mummified crocodile’s final snack .
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Tom Rutherford about the government’s climate strategy 2024.
He also spoke to Senior history lecturer at the University of Auckland Paul Taillon, about the attempted assassination of former President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and its potential social impacts.
And he spoke Sarah Bickerton from the University of Auckland about risks of using generative AI in education.
The government recently announced a reversal on the oil and gas exploration ban, which was put in place by the Labour government in 2018.
This has been met with concerns around the increased emissions that will be caused by this exploration. Many environmental groups have stressed that the government will have to offset these emissions to meet Aotearoa’s targets.
I spoke to Associate Professor in Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, David Dempsey about the history of the ban, the environmental implications of it being reversed and what sustainable alternatives Aotearoa can use to gather energy instead.
Producer Evie speaks to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about the government’s five point climate strategy, renewed calls from the party to abolish the human rights commission and a member's bill that would prohibit regional councils from considering climate change in their decisions.
She also speaks to Associate Professor in Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, David Dempsey, about the Oil and Gas ban reversal and its implications, and what energy alternatives could look like in Aotearoa.
Wire host Sofia speaks to Research Director at The Disinformation Project, Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa, about the Employment Court’s judgement of Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles’ case against the University of Auckland over the university’s failure to protect her from ongoing and escalating abuse and harassment for her science communication during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also speaks to the climate lead at Forest and Bird, Scott Burnett, about the climate strategy announced by Climate Change Minister Simon Watts last week.
And she speaks to Associate Professor of French at the University of Auckland, Deborah Walker-Morrison, about the France elections and the current state of French politics.
Last week, the Employment Court’s judgement found that Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles’ employer, the University of Auckland, breached its contractual obligations to protect her against ongoing threats, abuse, and harassment for her public commentary and science communication work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the many concerns Wiles raised with the university were verbal threats, being filmed without consent, and calls for her to be executed, all of which escalated both in volume and violence over time.
In the Employment Court’s judgement, Wiles was awarded general damages of $20,000 to be paid to her by the university within 28 days.
Research director at the Disinformation Project, Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa, was called upon as an expert witness, and provided the court with a brief of evidence in support of Siouxsie's case against the University of Auckland.
Wire host Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Hattotuwa about the judgement and its implications.
After the far-right National Rally’s dominant victory in the European Parliament elections in France, French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections for the National Assembly to be held in two rounds on June 30th and July 7th.
In the first round, National Rally came in top, however, it did not pass the threshold of 289 seats for an outright win.
After a second round of voting, a loose alliance of left-wing parties, the New Popular Front, secured the most seats. However, again, no one group won an absolute majority.
To win an outright majority, a party or coalition needs to secure at least 289 seats.
With France now left with a hung parliament, Wire host Sofia spoke to Associate Professor of French at the University of Auckland, Deborah Walker-Morrison, about these results and what’s next for the state of French politics.
She began the interview asking her why President Emmanuel Macron called the snap election.
Last week, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced a five-point climate strategy which aims to reduce the impacts of climate change and prepare for future effects.
The five core pillars announced were:
Infrastructure is resilient and communities are well prepared
Credible markets support the climate transition
Clean energy is abundant and affordable
World-leading climate innovation boosts the economy
Nature-based solutions address climate change
Watts said the three-page strategy is “comprehensive” and “ambitious”, however, there is no explanation as to how each goal will be achieved.
Wire host Sofia Roger Williams spoke to climate lead at Forest and Bird, Scott Burnett, about the nature-based solutions pillar and the strategy more generally.
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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