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.
This week on the Monday Wire, Sherry and Bronwyn bring us a report on the anti-white supremacy protest on Friday at the University of Auckland. Southern Cross is back with the latest news from across the Pacific. Lachlan speaks to Children's Commissioner, Andrew Becroft, about the "Hard Place to Be Happy" report on youth residential care. Jemima wraps it up with a conversation with Green Party co-leader James Shaw about lowering the voting age and the government's decision to drop the "family link" refugee policy.
Tecber Ahmed Saleh is a Saharawi resistance spokesperson. Born in one of the longest-standing refugee camps in the Western Sahara, formed after Tecber's country was occupied by Morocco in the 1970s and the Saharawi people were forced into the desert. Tecber now works for the Ministry of Health in Algeria, doing what she can to make life better for those in the refugee camps, as well as educate people internationally about the Sahrawis fight for autonomy in their own land. A contested area throughout history, but also a place in which human rights abuses and media harassment have been reported on since the early 2000s.
Tecber joined me in studio the day after flying in to Aotearoa to tell me her story and appeal to New Zealand to diversify their phosphate sources and find alternatives to exploiting the resources of an occupied land.
This is Part I in a series, you can listen to the others here:
Join Thursday Wire host Stewart Sowman-Lund for the first of two 95bFM Mayoral Debates. Today, Craig Lord, Peter Vaughan and Tadgh Stopford tell you why they should be the next mayor of the Auckland Supercity. They talk about transport, housing, and the environment - plus respond to listener texts.
The New Zealand Defense Industry Association have announced that they will not be holding their annual Weapons Expo in 2019. Chairman Andrew Ford stated that it had been cancelled for a number of reasons, including "the safety of delegates, guests and community in the face of aggressive protest action". This comes after years of peace groups protesting against the military expo, with many protesters arrested during previous years actions against it. These groups are claiming that it acts as a platform for arms dealers to “cash in” on lucrative military contracts.The expo’s principal sponsor is Lockheed Martin, one of the world's largest arms company and a manufacturer of nuclear weapons. One group, Auckland Peace Action stated that while the organisers try to camouflage the event as respectable, it is hard to hide the reality of “shameless war profiteering”. William spoke with Peace Action member Valerie Morse about the cancellation and previous years protests. Will started off by asking Valerie to clarify what the weapons expo is, what it's sponsors are and what Peace Action’s problems are with it.
A collection of Māori taonga, collected by Andrew Rintoul before 1913, will return from Auckland Museum to the Kaipara on 12 October to be housed at The Kauri Museum. Tuwhenuaroa speaks to The Kauri Museum General Manager and Collection Manager Curator Dr. Tracey Wedge about the collection, and began by asking her why it was so important.
On Dear Science with AUT’s Allan Blackman, we talk epilepsy medication, chemistry reducing carbon footprint and opposing research results. We also touch on the current status of the measles outbreak.
Will speaks to Auckland Peace Action spokesperson Valerie Morse about the cancelling of the Weapons Expo.
Tu speaks to SAFE NZ about reforming New Zealand’s policies on live animal exports.
Tu also speaks to Dr Tracey Wedge from the Kauri Museum in the Kaipara District about returning a collection of Māori taonga home.
Amd finally, Tu talks to the founder of the Take Back The Clocks lobby group about why we should abolish daylight savings. Is there really any point to this?
A Cabinet paper from the Agriculture Minister’s office on the then proposed review of the live export trade was released last week. The paper proposes five options, which include the Minister’s preferred option of a conditional ban, and a complete prohibition of the trade of live animal exports. The paper shows the scope of the review will only include the export of cows, deer, sheep and goats for breeding which SAFE NZ saysber ignores 99% of animals suffering in the live export industry. Tuwhenuaroa spoke to SAFE’s Campaigns Officer Mona Oliver about the review, and began bye asking her what the details of the review were.
A movement to abolish daylight saving time has been gaining traction this week with a lobby group being established to abolish what they describe as a “mandatory hangover”. Tuwhenuaroa spoke to the chief executive and founder of Take Back The Clocks, Louis Houlbrooke, about his plan, and began by asking who he was.
Law and Order Spokesperson for New Zealand First Darroch Ball, does not support drug checking as a harm reduction strategy and is currently blocking a clarification of the Misuse of Drugs Act that would allow the service to be implemented nationally. To find out more, Olivia Holdsworth spoke to KnowYourStuffNZ’s Managing Director, Wendy Allison and began by asking why is drug testing important?
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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