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.
The coalition government recently introduced legislation aimed at rolling back the establishment of Maori wards in local constituencies, requiring local councils to hold a referendum if they brought in wards without first polling residents or to scrap the wards that they have.
The Waitangi tribunal consider the legislation to be a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principle prioritising, as they say the crown failed to consult with the tribunal or Maori stakeholders, and that the move will undermine the role of Maori and Iwi in local governments.
For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to the Green party’s Ricardo Menendez March to discuss the Maori Wards rollback. We also had a chat about the recent review of Kainga Ora, as well as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s speech at the national party conference.
From January 1, 2025, the New Zealand Council of Legal Education has plans to make teaching tikanga Māori and te ao Māori compulsory in the legal curriculum for students, meaning all core law courses will have a compulsory tikanga Māori component.
On the 7th of May, King’s Counsel Gary Judd filed a complaint to the Government’s Regulations Review Committee over this move, claiming that tikanga didn’t fall under “proper law subjects”.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to co-Tumuaki at Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa, the Māori Law Society, Tai Ahu (Waikato, Ngāti Kahu (Te Paatu)), about these changes to the legal curriculum and the role of tikanga Māori in law.
The Waitangi Tribunal recently found the government’s plans to reinstate a rule requiring all Māori wards to go to a local referendum, is not in line with the government’s obligations under Te Tiriti.
Introduced in 2001, the required referendum was cited by many as a significant barrier to Māori representation in local government. Before 2021, there were three councils with Māori wards or constituencies. After the requirement was removed in 2021, 34 territories and 7 regional councils have Māori wards or constituencies, increasing Māori representation and strengthening the overall decision making process.
This Māori wards legislation follows a slew of similar legislation surrounding Māori representation and the role of Te Tiriti in politics, with the current government continuing to remove protections and ignore advice or summons from the Tribunal.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Katie Nimon, Wire host Castor asked about the Māori ward legislation and the government’s relationship with the Waitangi Tribunal.
For Dear Science this week, Dr Cushla McGoverin chatted to us about synthetic leather made of mushrooms, DNA origami, and the colour of rodent teeth.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about the government’s recent decisions surrounding Māori wards and the future of the Waitangi Tribunal.
Producer Sofia spoke to Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo, about a report the Commission jointly released with KPMG last week, ‘Counting the Cost: Estimating the economic cost of workplace bullying and harassment on New Zealand employers’.
She also spoke to co-Tumuaki of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa, the Māori Law Society, Tai Ahu (Waikato, Ngāti Kahu (Te Paatu)), about tikanga Māori being taught in law schools regarding King Counsel’s Gary Judd recent filing of a complaint over incoming compulsory teaching.
The report estimates the cost of bullying and harassment to employers in Aotearoa at around $1.5 billion a year, which is considered conservative as its estimate does not include all potential costs.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission, Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo, about the report and the importance of addressing bullying and harassment in the workplace.
The New Zealand First Party has introduced a member's bill that would ban or even fine people for using a bathroom that does not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth.
In a statement, New Zealand First said it will "stop the growing trend" of mixed-sex bathrooms.
First, former News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, speaks to NZ Parents and Guardians of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children Coordinator, Sharyn Forsyth (she/her) about the proposed bill and the prevalence of anti-trans rhetoric in Aotearoa.
She also spoke to Wren (they/them) a non-binary person, parent to a transgender child, and trans activist, about the impact this bill would have on both transgender and cisgender people as well as Facebook messages sent to Wren by a profile claiming to be NZ First MP Tanya Unkovich, suggesting transgender people are quote "mentally ill" and "need to go to the hospital for brain checks". Unkovich has stated the profile who sent these messages is impersonating her.
Hundreds of thousands of Kiwis may not be able to heat their homes adequately this winter according to recent findings of fuel poverty in New Zealand.
Producer Ezra spoke to Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Jodi Gardner about the impact of fuel poverty this coming winter and the steps needed to move forward.
Seventy-five researchers from across the globe recorded traditional music and speech in their native language for a recent cross-cultural study comparing global rhythm and pitch patterns.
Producer Ezra spoke to Senior Research Fellow of Psychology at the University of Auckland, Dr Patrick Savage about his involvement in this cross-cultural study.
For our regular catch-up with the ACT Party, Evie speaks to Simon Court about the Party’s funding for Charter Schools and new concerns surrounding the Fast Track Approvals Bill.
Former News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, speaks to NZ Parents and Guardians of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children Coordinator, Sharyn Forsyth (she/her), and Wren (they/them) a non-binary person, parent to a transgender child, and trans activist, about New Zealand First's bill which would ban people from using the designated bathroom that correlates with their gender identity.
Ezra speaks to Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Jodi Gardner about the pressing issue of fuel poverty in New Zealand.
and he speaks to Professor of Psychology at the University of Auckland, Dr Patrick Savage about his involvement in a global study on traditional rhythms and pitches.
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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