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.
Following the continued protests against the new Citizenship Amendment Bill introduced in India, Producer Sam Denne talks with Doctor Sapna Samant about India's far right government, new discriminatory census measures, protests being led by students and women and what actions NZ Indians are taking to make Wellington listen.
At the end of last year the government made a huge infrastructure spending announcement. Finance Minister Grant Robertson announced $12 billion of new investment, with $8 billion for specific capital projects and $4 billion to be added to the multi-year capital allowance. Broken down, the $8 billion looks like this:
· $6.8 billion for new transport projects, with a significant portion for roads and rail.
· $400 million one-off increase to schools’ capital funding
· $300 million for regional investment opportunities
· $300 million for District Health Board asset renewal
· $200 million for public estate decarbonisation
The specific projects will be announced in the coming months. So, we aren’t actually sure yet how this is going to be spent or what it will look like. Once the announcement had been made, Lillian spoke with finance journalist Rod Oram to ask all of the questions. What follows is a lengthy chat to get you thinking about this money heading into this new political year.
On Dear Science with AUT’s Allan Blackman we are going to kick off the year looking at some anniversaries, as well as what happens when a science paper is retracted.
We have a chat with Rod Oram that Lillian actually did at the end of last year, just after the government’s big infrastructure announcement. We didn’t get a chance to play it then so will have a listen today, but it’s a good chance to refresh our memories at the start of this big political year of the government's spending intentions prior to the more specific announcement that will be made early this year.
Felix has a piece today on the ever-expanding waitlist for state housing, he talked to Ricardo menendez March from Auckland Action Against Poverty about this ongoing housing crisis.
Felix also spoke with Forest & Bird about their naming of 2020 as the “year of the seabird” and the need for greater protection of our seabirds.
The waiting list for public housing continues to grow as nearly 14,500 households live in motels, on the street, or are close to losing their homes. The government's original target of 6400 state homes is simply not enough to meet the growing demand. Auckland Action against Poverty has called on the government to triple its state housing targets to match. Felix Walton spoke with AAAP Coordinator Ricardo Menendez March.
Forest & Bird declared 2020 to be the year of the seabird. They estimate that up to 14,000 individual seabirds were captured by commercial fishing boats over the past year, many of which are already under threat. Felix Walton spoke with Forest & Bird spokesperson Geoff Keey.
Justin talks to Paul Buchanan, the Director of 36th-Parallel, a geopolitical risk and strategic assessment consultancy, about how the current confrontation between the US and Iran could affect American foregin policy and regional security against terrorism.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has been re-elected for her second term after beating Kaohsing Mayor, Kuomintang's Han Kuo-yu and James Soong of the People First Party. This election has been characterized as a generational divide, between the younger generation's sense of belonging to Taiwan and the older generation's desire to build stronger bonds with China.
Justin talks to Professor Tsai Chia-hung of the National Chengchi University in Taipei on this generational divide and what's next for the Kuomintang, and Professor Alex Tan of Canterbury University on how Tsai's re-election will change cross-strait relations between Taiwan and China.
We are back with our weekly chat with Green party co-leader James Shaw. The Minister attended the climate change conference in Madrid (COP25) in December 2019 and we caught up on criticisms surrounding lack of substantial action and indigenious inclusivity. We also talked about proposed changes to the carbon emissions trading schemes, and the roll out of climate change education in schools.
Next, Sherry talks to Adelaide freelance writer and journalist Jemah Finn on the Australian bushfires and climate change protests.
Finally Deb discusses with Playwright Stanley Makuwe on his new play Black Lover, about a NZ expat who became prime minister of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
Kangaroo Island, off the coast of Adelaide, was temporarily closed over the weekend with almost half of the island burnt through by the Ravine fire (around 170,000 hectares). The Victoria and New South Wales fires have also merged into a mega-blaze.
Since the fires began in September, at least 28 people have died with thousands of homes damaged. According to the WWF, 1.25 billion animals have also perished. Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has been particularly criticised for taking a holiday while the country was struggling with the fires. In total 15 million acres have since been incinerated.
Jemah Finn is a freelancer writer and journalist, currently based in Adelaide, South Australia. Sherry caught up with her to get an update on the Australian bushfires and how the community has been. She also attended the climate change protest in Adelaide on Friday the 10th, which saw almost 3 thousand attending protesting in response to the bush fires.
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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