Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Jessica Hopkins, Castor Chacko, Nicholas Lindstrom, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
Social work students in Aotearoa along with many other countries undergo 120 hours of unpaid placement work as part of their qualifications.
During this time, many students experience financial and material hardship, juggling placement work with paid work or other commitments.
In a recently published paper, social workers discuss the conditions and offer possible solutions. Wire host Castor spoke to one of the paper’s authors, the University of Auckland’s professor Liz Beddoe, about the paper and how these issues affect social work students.
Education Minister Erica Stanford made several comments in mid-March regarding the government’s “one size fits all” approach to inequities in education.
However, a “one size fits all” approach has been critiqued by several education experts, citing differences in learning ability and environment that make a blanket approach impossible.
Wire host Castor spoke to Professor of Disability studies and inclusive education Missy Morton about the issues with a one size fits all approach and the possible alternatives to better address student needs.
National has announced the fruits of the childcare policy they campaigned on, which is a rebate paid out once every three months. This is after they campaigned on fortnightly payments, and will disadvantage parents who cannot afford childcare up front.
They’ve also announced they are continuing Labour’s policy of free period product in schools and kura, although whether or not this includes primary as well as intermediate and high schools is uncertain.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire host Caeden asked Labour spokesperson for Education and Women Jan Tinetti about both of these announcements.
Last month saw the release of an independent review examining the emergency management of Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke’s Bay last year. Insights revealed the key role marae, iwi and hāpu played in disaster response, heralding calls for strategies more inclusive of te ao Māori.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke with Dr. Shaun Awatere, of Ngāti Porou, who is Kaihautū Māori Research Impact Leader and Manaaki Whenua at Landcare Research. He discussed the ways in which national and local bureaucracies can be more formally inclusive of te Ao Māori and mana whenua approaches.
Jasmine also spoke with Professor Christine Kenney, of Te Ātiawa ki Kāpati, Ngāi Tahu, and Ngāti Toarangatira. Amongst an impressive array of interdisciplinary roles in this area, Christine is the Chair of Disaster Risk Reduction at Massey University, and she provided us more insight about what the report’s findings mean for Aotearoa’s wider emergency management frameworks.
This week Castor filled in for Thursday Wire's usual host, Caeden.
For our weekly catchup with the Labour Party’s Jan Tinetti, Caeden discussed the outcomes of National’s childcare policy and the continuation of Labour’s free menstrual products policy.
They also spoke to Counsellor Lotu Fuli about the vandalisation of the rainbow crossing on Karangahape Road this morning and the end of Auckland Transport’s half price fares.
Producer Jasmine spoke with Dr. Shaun Awatere and Professor Christine Kenney about the role of te ao Māori in disaster management following the independent review released last month on the Hawke’s Bay emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle.
The Fast Track approval legislation would enable the Ministers of transport, Infrastructure and Regional Development to approve consents for projects without going through the current considerations around communities and local and regional government, existing legislation regarding Te Tiriti and community participation.
Environmental activists have criticised the legislation as a potential avenue to undermine environmental considerations.
Nicholas spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March about his Party’s stance on the legislation.
They also spoke about the International Monetary Funds’ recommendations regarding reform in our tax system.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a UN organisation that evaluates and monitors the economic politics and financial situations of member states.
The IMF’s recent evaluation of New Zealand led to several recommendations.
Tax reform featured heavily in the recommendations, with the IMF suggesting New Zealand imposes a Capital Gains Tax as well as a Land Value Tax.
Nicholas spoke to Professor of tax law Craig Elliffe about the IMF’s recommendations.
Nicholas spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Fast Track Approval Legislation and the IMF’s recommendations regarding New Zealand’s tax system.
He also spoke to Professor Craig Elliffe about the IMF’s recommendations regarding reform in our tax system.
Oto spoke to Letitia Harding, the chief executive of the Asthma and Respiratory foundation, New Zealand, to talk about the government’s recent ban on disposable vapes.
He also spoke to Dr Susan Maiava, the Co Founder of the ethical directory “Fair and Good” to talk about a petition her organisation made to the government to re-introduce modern slavery legislation.
To end the show, Sofia spoke to Professor Moana Theodore on the world leading Dunedin Study: How Will You Age?
The infamous Dunedin Study is preparing for its next phase of life.
The study, which has followed over 1000 babies since 1973 is now entering it’s ‘mid-life’ period as members reach the ripe age of 52.
Producer Sofia Kent spoke with Auckland Uni Alumni and Study Director Professor Moana Theodore about the longitudinal study and what mid-life might show us.
Last week, on Monday 18th March, Whaikaha - the Ministry for Disabled People announced that it was making changes to its Purchasing Rules and Equipment and Modification Services.
These changes mean that people can no longer use disability funding for expenses that provide respite, self-care services for carers and whānau, gifts for volunteers providing support, and overseas and domestic travel costs.
The changes came into effect the same day they were announced.
Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Labour MP and Spokesperson for Disability Issues, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, about these changes and the implications they will have for disabled communities and whānau.
Disability communities have been rallying against a surprise change in purchasing rules in the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha. Communities have said the changes will have massive impact, despite no consultation on these changes or a formal announcement.
The Department of Conversation also recently proposed staffing cuts to meet funding demands. DoC controls a third of Aotearoa’s landmass which is all conservation land. It remains uncertain how job losses in the Ministry could impact conservation land management.
For weekly catch-up with the Labour party Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour spokesperson for Disability Issues and Conservation Priyanca Rahdakrishnan about both of these issues.
For our weekly interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about the government’s proposal to increase student attendance rates and his post on X last week, in which he stated he stands with Israel.
The Ministry of Social Development is not immune to job cuts seen in other public service departments, with MSD calling for voluntary redundancies after cost-saving efforts failed to meet Government targets. For our weekly catch-up with Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni Wire Host Caeden asks her about the impact of cuts at MSD, especially amongst other Government policies disadvantaging beneficiaries.
They also ask about the Samoan Citizenship Bill led by Teanau Tuiono, and the impact of losing independent media giants such as Newshub for democracy.
A proposal to merge the Ōtara-Papatoetoe and Māngere-Ōtāhuhu local boards has been met with criticism, with consultation opening at the end of next month.
A new report has also been released on the quality of living in Tāmaki Makaurau with our city receiving mixed results by scoring high on some areas (the environment), and lower on others (education).
Wire Host Caeden speaks to Counsellor Lotu Fuli about both these topics for City Counselling.
For this week's Get Action! Sofia spoke to petitioner Abdul Safi and his campaign to place sanctions on Israel amidst genocidal acts that are widely considered war crimes.
If you want to sign this petition, you can find it here:
For City Counselling this week, Wire host Caeden spoke with Counsellor Lotu Fuli about the early morning vandalisation of the Rainbow Crossing on Karangahape Road.
They also ask about the end of half-price fares for under 25s, and the relationship Wayne Brown, as well as Auckland Council more generally, has with Auckland Transport.
It is estimated that 50 million people worldwide are currently involved in some form of slavery. Many of those who have been enslaved for their labour, and work as child labourers, produce goods that we import and consume on a regular basis here in Aotearoa.
Currently, there is no existing legislation in Aotearoa that requires companies to disclose the source of their goods, or to ensure that their products are being ethically produced; giving them free rein to indulge in modern slavery in order to cut their production costs.
Producer Oto spoke to Dr Susan Maiava, Co-Founder of the ethical directory Fair & Good who have created a petition and open letter urging the government to introduce modern slavery legislation.
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