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.
New Zealand and key allies have imposed sanctions on two “extremist” Israeli politicians for their role in “inciting violence against Palestinians” in the West Bank.
However, opposition parties, including Labour as well as the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, are calling for further action to be taken against Israel.
It comes after Israel kidnapped 12 pro-Palestine activists on international waters, who were intending to break the aid blockade and reach Gaza.
And earlier this week, the National Business released their annual rich list.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, I spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about these topics.
Earlier this week, the National Business Review released its annual “rich list”, which contains information about who the wealthiest people in Aotearoa are.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to Mike McRoberts, Te Ao Māori editor at the NBR, about the list, including its timing in a cost-of-living crisis and what it means for Māori.
Los Angeles is approaching a week of protests against ICE, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Over 200 protestors have been arrested since the protests began, and restrictions have been placed on protestors, including a curfew.
The White House has sent 2,000 members of the National Guard to the city already, and another 2,000 are expected to be deployed. This is despite California Governor Gavin Newsom attempting to stop their deployment.
For International Desk, I spoke to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about the protests.
For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March, Oto spoke to him about the seizure of the Madleen freedom flotilla by Israeli Defence Forces and the greens’ calls for Sanctions on Israel, The government's new Parent Boost Visa and the unrest in Los Angeles opposing the US immigration policies and how it could impact immigration policy here in Aotearoa.
For this week’s Get Action! Oto spoke to Sue Coutts from Zero Waste Network New Zealand about a petition calling for Aotearoa to be kept incinerator free.
And he spoke to Neal Curtis a professor in the Faculty of Arts and Education at the University of Auckland to discuss why “reclaim the wealth” is a better phrase than “tax the rich.”
Max spoke to Brigid Carroll, a professor at the University of Auckland, to talk about the traits that make an effective leader.
And he spoke to Heemi Kapa-Kingi, Co-Founder of the ‘Soften Up Bro’ movement, to talk about men’s mental health.
The release of Jacinda Ardern’s new book, has sparked a renewed interest in the leadership style that was present as Prime Minister of New Zealand, between 2017 and 2023.
Leadership is constantly being tested and redefined. However, it was Ardern’s leadership and circumstances throughout her tenure as Prime Minister that caught global attention and recognition.
Professor Brigid Carroll, from the University of Auckland, is an expert in leadership identity and practice. Her work challenges many of the ideas that we have traditionally seen as good leadership traits. She believes that now is a good time to explore what effective leadership can look like.
This week marks Men’s Mental Health Week in Aotearoa – a time to kōrero about the challenges that many men face, and to break down the stigma that still surrounds emotional well-being.
For a long time, the phrase ‘harden up’ has shaped the way men think about vulnerability, and in turn, often pushes men to bottle up emotions, instead of reaching out for help.
‘Soften Up Bro’ is a kaupapa grounded in Te Ao Maori values, encouraging men to embrace softness, honesty and connection.
To talk about men’s mental health in Aotearoa and this movement, I spoke to co-founder of ‘Soften Up Bro’, Heemi Kapa-Kingi.
In the wake of increasing global inequality, discussions about taxing the world’s wealthiest few and the redistribution of wealth are becoming more prevalent.
However, the concept of wealth taxes are often stigmatised by proponents of neoliberalism, often likening taxation to a form of theft.
Discussing the idea of wealth taxes and redistribution is Dr Neal Curtis, a professor in the Faculty of Arts and Education at the University of Auckland who says “reclaim the wealth” is a better rallying cry than “tax the rich.”
The Hard to Find Bookshop in Auckland is set for its lease to expire in February next year. The bookshop moved into the location on Saint Benedict’s Street in 2017, however it is unclear whether they will be able to move again, especially given rising rents for businesses and increased cost pressures in recent years. There is, therefore, a strong chance that the bookstore may be forced to close.
To discuss the future of the bookshop and the importance of secondhand bookshops in Auckland, Wire host Castor spoke to the owner of the Hard to Find Bookshop, Warwick Jordan.
Although there have been concerns raised about whether robots will replace workers, there have been proposals for how we can utilise this new technology without jobs being at stake.
Producer Faith spoke to PhD student Yuan Gao from the University of Auckland about her research on how robots can help patients suffering from dementia. She has focused on making sure they won’t be a replacement for caregivers, but how caregivers can work alongside them– along with the importance of differentiating the robots from humans for the patients.
The government recently announced a new visa for parents of migrants, allowing them to come to New Zealand for a longer period of time than traditional visitors without having to acquire residency.
The Parent Boost Visa is designed to support migrants who may be struggling with workloads or who want to bring their parents here through a more clear pathway.
Wire host Castor spoke to CEO of immigration advisory and support group Aims Global, Arunima Dhingra, about how this parent boost visa will benefit migrants and address the issues they face more generally.
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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