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.
Last week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand would reinstate its annual payment of $1 million to the United Nations Reliefs and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
This comes after the government stopped funding to the agency in January over accusations by Israel that the agency’s staff were involved in Hamas' attacks, of which reports later found Israel failed to provide evidence for.
The UNRWA is the United Nation's largest agency operating in Gaza and is the main humanitarian provider for Palestinians under Israeli bombardment.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to National Chair of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, John Minto, about the New Zealand government’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza with regards to this reinstated funding.
She started their interview asking him about the role of the UNRWA.
For Dear Science this week, Professor Allan Blackman chatted to us about a genome in tiny ferns, a retracted Alzheimers paper, and investigating success and failure.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Tom Rutherford about the March for Nature, Fast Track Approvals Bill, and the Ram Raid bill.
He also spoke to Senior Exhibition Developer at Motat Esther Tobin about their new gallery, Te Puawānanga.
Producer Sofia spoke to the National Chair of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, John Minto, about the New Zealand government’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza with regards to reinstating funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees.
And producer Elle spoke to the UNICEF Aotearoa Policy and Advocacy Manager Frances Cox-Wright about policy suggestions to reduce child poverty and involve youth voice in climate action, Following the release of Budget 2024 two weeks ago.
A collective of over 20 organisations have joined to deliver an open letter and petition to Parliament on the 26th of June, urging the Government to get rid of the Ram Raid Bill.
These groups are advocating for an alternative approach to tackling youth offending rates, by ensuring all political parties in Parliament work together, using grounded evidence and being informed by lived experiences to reduce these statistics.
I spoke to the Director of Kick Back, a youth development and advocacy organisation and a member of the collective, Aaron Hendry, about this petition.
Over the weekend, 20,000 people protested along Queens Street against the government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill and other legislation that they have deemed ‘a war on nature’.
Joel spoke to Greenpeace Aotearoa Programme Director, Niamh O’Flynn, about the protests, and what the organisation are hoping for in the future.
News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Director at Kick Back, Aaron Hendry, about 20+ organisations coming together to urge the government to cull the Ram Raid Bill.
They also spoke to Greenpeace Aotearoa Programme Director, Niamh O’Flynn, about this weekend's March for Nature protests.
And Producer Castor spoke to one of the national presidents from the Tertiary Education Union, Julie Douglas, about budget announcements and how they will impact the tertiary education sector.
Despite years of requests from tertiary education providers, workers, and students, the government’s budget announcements did not grant any new funding to support the country’s universities. The government also delivered on its promise to move the first year fees free policy to the last year of people’s degrees.
Producer Castor spoke to one of the National Presidents from the Tertiary Education Union, Julie Douglas, about what the lack of support might mean for tertiary education, how the fees free change will affect students, and how the sector will adapt moving forward.
For our weekly catch-up with Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni Caeden kōrero about the Budget and what more the opposition can be doing for Palestine.
For City Counselling they talk to Councillor Lotu Fuli about Māori Wards and renewed discussions for a national stadium in Tāmaki Makaurau.
And they speak with 350 Aotearoa’s Adam Currie about an oil conference happening in Taranaki next week.
Joel spoke to National PSA Organiser, Ashok Shankar, about a report into mental health challenges and addiction challenges, and what this means for the mental health and addiction workforce.
Caeden and Joel will also kōrero about their recent excursion to Canada for the Vote16 National Conference
The Public Service Association (PSA) has called for a meeting with Mental Health Minister, Matt Dooecy, regarding a mental health and addiction report released yesterday.
The report shows significant problems workers are facing when it comes to caring for individuals with moderate to severe mental health challenges and addiction challenges.
News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to National PSA Organiser, Ashok Shankar, about what the report shows about the mental health and addiction workforce.
The Government’s 2024 Budget has proposed cuts to areas in public services and social support.
Such cuts include: removing half price public transport, removing $5 universal prescription fees, removing the treaty clause in the Oranga Tamariki law, and changes to the public housing system.
Producer Joel spoke to Coordinator of Auckland Action Against Poverty, Brooke Stanley, about these cuts in the 2024 Budget.
Last Thursday, the coalition government revealed its annual budget for 2024.
While the announcement highlighted the government's efforts to lower income tax and expenditure, the budget came under fire from many for what they say were cuts that would put our public services under even greater pressure, and created disappointing outcomes for Maori and marginalised communities across Aotearoa that failed to uphold the government’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez-March to talk about budget 2024, with a specific focus on the areas of: Environmental Conservation, Tax and Te Tiriti obligations.
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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