Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Castor Chacko, Sara Mckoy, Emmanuel Orange, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
On May 26 next year, Aotearoa’s anti-stalking legislation comes into effect, but criminalisation is not the only action needed to support those experiencing stalking.
Earlier this week Auckland Women’s Centre released a guide of referral for victims of stalking that includes advice on reporting to police and accessing support services.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Leonie Morris, Project Lead for ‘Aotearoa Free From Stalking’, on the advocacy pathways needed to best address the issue of stalking ahead of the legislation implementation next year.
With 2025 coming to a close, it’s a turning point for health promotion strategies around nicotine and tobacco use in Aotearoa. The Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 initiative launched in 2010, and sought to focus on addressing inequities for Māori. The parameters for success for Smokefree Aotearoa aimed for a reduction to less than 5% of NZers that smoke, across all population groups, by the end of the fifteen year period.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Professor Chris Bullen, Co-Chair of the Smokefree Expert Advisory Committee, about the changes in smoking culture that have occurred across the campaign, and what is next for addressing inequities in tobacco use and relevant health outcomes going forward.
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.
For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez March about what the Green Party has taken away from Scrutiny Week, the recent reports criticising the Government’s decision-making in regards to climate change, and the United Nations report warning that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights in New Zealand.
For this weeks Get Action! Producer Flo spoke with Activist Lauren Craig, creator of OurChangeAction Petition “Reverse the decision to deny transgender and takatāpui young people access to puberty blockers”.
Flo also spoke with Kirsten Tilleman, a University of Auckland PhD researcher, about her study on discrimination and violence towards LGBTQIA+ individuals on public transport.
And Producer Vihan spoke with the University of Auckland’s Professor of Psychology Quentin Atkinson, to discuss the formation of states.
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
A new study from the University of Auckland has indicated a higher risk of violence and discrimination for queer people on public transport, especially for non-binary and transgender people or those with multiple marginalised identities.
Kirsten Tilleman, PhD researcher at Waimata Taupapa Rau University of Auckland conducted the study and is working with Auckland Transport to address the issue. To further explain the results of the study and to describe the implementation of possible solutions, Wire producer Flo spoke with Kirsten Tilleman.
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 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
Nurses have been at the forefront of most crises, yet they work in under-resourced environments and have been prevented from speaking about their working conditions.
Even though this year saw over 36,000 nurses take strike action, the profession has been riddled with challenges such as being understaffed.
Producer Vihan spoke to the University of Auckland’s Professor of Nursing, Andrew Jull, about the issues around a lack of representation of nurses.
Last week the National Party’s Greg Fleming and Labour’s Camilla Belich put forward a member’s bill to address modern slavery. The bill would require businesses with over $1,000,000 of annual consolidated revenue to generate a report on whether any of their suppliers use modern slavery.
Despite being a member’s bill, the bill will be heard in parliament next week thanks to gathering support from sixty non-cabinet MPs, the first time this process has been used. The ACT party did not support the bill, with leader David Seymour and deputy leader Brooke Van Velden levying multiple criticisms.
Also this past week saw an announcement that the prison population in Aotearoa reached an all time high, despite reports of overcrowding and underfunding last year.
For this week’s catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues, beginning by asking about modern slavery.
arlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum that made international headlines.
The speech was focused on the future of global politics in the face of a world increasingly shaped by threats and hard power, and the need for “middle power” states to cooperate.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Stewart Prest, Lecturer in Political Science at the University of British Columbia, about Mark Carney’s speech.
Last week, following weather warnings and torrential rain, slips across the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty wreaked havoc, cutting off communities, damaging houses, and worst of all, taking lives.
At the base of Mauoa, Mount Maunganui, a slip hit a council-owned campsite, claiming six lives and now eyes are turning towards how a tragedy like this could be prevented in future.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was among the world leaders offered membership on Trump's post conflict government body, the board of peace. The board has received scathing criticism for including people under investigation for war crimes and failing to have a representative voice for the Palestinian people. Luxon has, in turn, received criticism for not ruling out the invitation.
Finally, the New Zealand Defence Force has begun to incorporate uncrewed vehicles and drones as it moves into a new era of increased defence spending
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wire host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about Luxons refusal to rule out joining Trump’s board of peace, and the New Zealand Defence Forces incorporation of drones but began with asking him about the fatal slip in Tauranga,
As New Zealanders across the motu witness the fallout of extreme weather including landslips and flooding, climate experts reiterate the importance of connecting these events to a wider trend of increased frequency and intensity climate events.
In particular, experts including Dr Kevin Trenberth and Sustainability lecturer Sasha Maher say that New Zealand’s existing infrastructure needs to be upgraded to account for how future natural disasters and climate events will impact Aotearoa.
For Green World this week, Wire host Sara spoke to both of these experts about the challenges New Zealand will face on this issue.
First, Sara spoke to University of Auckland affiliated climate scientist Dr Kevin Trenberth about the drivers of extreme weather conditions, starting by asking how they reflect a larger pattern of temperature change.
Next, Sara spoke to University of Auckland lecturer Sasha Maher about the political response to these observable climate impacts.
Last week's landslide at Mount Maunganui has had severe consequences on people and the environment. Producer Vihan spoke to National MP Ryan Hamilton about the landslide and the government's response to it, as well as it's response to climate change, in general.
Tāmaki was hit with severe heavy rain warnings in recent days, with extreme weather and states of emergency declared around the motu. These heightened caution around risks of flooding in areas affected by 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods.
Last week, there were changes to national laws that now allow ‘granny flats’ to be built on properties without the need to obtain resource consent.
And stripping of marine life from rock pools around Whangaparāoa has raised discussion of shellfish protections, but not without increasing racial tensions in community discourse.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about how these topics impact Tāmaki Makaurau.
As a part of their energy policy, the current national-led government has reopened the door to offshore oil and gas exploration and mining after it was banned under the previous government. Last week, we saw reports of the first bid under the scheme, a sign of further oil and gas projects.
Alongside this the government has put through legislation increasing the maximum amount energy companies can be fined by three times, they say, to increase accountability.
Finally, rumours swirl that the central government is about to step in to override the rezoning plan crafted by the Auckland Council once again, as the groups protest the plan enabling higher-rise buildings around transport hubs.
For this week's Weekly Catch-up with the Green Party, Wire Producer Manny spoke to MP Recardo Menendez March about the expansion of fines on energy companies and the central government's intervention in Auckland Council's zoning plans. But first we discussed the first bid in offshore oil and gas.
The survey provides world-first substantial evidence of how unaffordable clean fuel supply can generate severe risks for health and climate in these communities.
Co-author Professor Hari Vuthaluru from Curtin's Western Australian School of Mines said toxic emissions, health issues and food contamination were among the consequences of this practice.
Wire Host Sara spoke to Vuthaluru further about the study in light of the environmental consequences.
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