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.
Bronwyn spoke to Sophie Jeram, an artist and curator from Letting Space and Urban Dream Brokerage who is is also working towards a PhD in Landscape Architecture on the commoning of land. She spoke about the distinction between pulblic and common space, as well as her personal experience creating such projects since 1993. Most recently, Sophie has been part of the Vogelmorn Community Group, which started in a converted bowling club, and served as a case study for the interview.
Last week Sophie spoke as part of an international webinar hosted by the Journal of Public where speakers from a number of countries and disciplines webinar discussed the way we interact in public space in the current and post COVID-19 conditions. This formed basis for the beginning of the interview.
On the 30th of April the government put out a release stating that 37.3 million will be out towards water storage in Northland, which choose clean water NZ, a campaign pushing for better water policy, opposes this investment. They feel the science is not there is not enough scientific backing and that clean water is a higher priority. I talked to Marnie Prickett, one of Choose Clean water NZ's organisers, and started off by asking why the government has decided to invest in water storage.
It’s nearly been a month since The COVID-19 Public Health Response Act passed in Parliament. "Passed under urgency, the Act enables orders imposing the most profound peacetime restrictions ever made to the rights and personal freedoms of all New Zealanders."
This is a statement from the New Zealand Law Society, who released a press statement last Wednesday, recommending changes to amendments in the legislation, which need additional safeguarding.
The Wire's Producer Louis Laws spoke with Jonathan Orpin-Dowell, a barrister & a member of the NZLS Law Reform Committee, who spoke on the Response Act, & the amendments the Law Society is recommending...
Forest & Bird is calling on Aucklanders to tell their council to reinstate protection for nature in this year’s budget.
The Auckland Council’s ‘Emergency Budget’ more than halves the Environmental Services capital expenditure budget, dropping support for pest control, the kauri dieback programme, and planting, among other things.
Forest & Bird’s Auckland Regional Manager, Nick Beveridge, says “our natural world is in crisis” & “these are things we must act on now”. Producer Louis Laws spoke with him this morning on the Auckland Councils proposal ...
On the Wire today, Louis Laws speaks with Jonathan Orpin-Dowell from the New Zealand Law Society on safeguarding Emergency COVID-19 legislation.
Jemima has been investigating the commercialisation of social and political movements and culture in response to the Black Lives Matter Movement. She speaks to Dr Neal Curtis, a media professor at the University of Auckland, about effect of social media on political movements and social media activism.
Louis talks to Nick Beveridge from Forest and Bird about the cuts made to Auckland Council's funding for Environmental Services.
Sam talks to Meka Whaitiri about the governments intentions regarding to Oranga Tamariki and whether the values of Te Ao Māori ought to be better included in the Ministry's legislation.
Sam provides shares some insights on paralells between the recent report from the Childrens Comissioners and 1988's landmark Puao Te-Ata-Tu which made considerable recommendations for the overhaul of child welfare services in Aotearoa.
Meka Whaitiri of Labour's Maori caucus speaks with Sam about why the government intends to honour the recommendations put forth in 1988's landmark Puao Te-Ata-Tu report thirty two years later as we continue to see the same issues with child welfare services that we had then
Jemima has been looking into the commercialisation of social and political movements and culture in response to the action taken supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. She begins with a discussion with Univeristy of Auckland lecturer, Dr Neal Curtis, about social media as an avenue for activism and what effect it truly has in mobilising a social movement.
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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