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.
Host Olivia talked to the incredibly insightful Jean Te Huia about the child welfare system and how it's structure disproportionately affects Māori. They discussed the history of the child welfare system and also talked about some recommendations for its reform. Olivia began by asking what the origin of Aotearoa's child welfare system was?
The Waitangi Tribunal today released its report on the ban on prisoner voting, saying it disproportionately affected Maori and the government should act urgently to repeal it before the next election. This follows a recent Supreme Court decision saying the ban was inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act. Lachlan spoke with Cosmo Jeffrey from The Howard League NZ about the ban, and why it needs to be overturned.
New Zealand is one of very few countries that allows advertising of prescription medicine to consumers. Doctors groups have been pushing for years for the government to enact changesto the law to ban the practice. Lachlan spoke with Richard Medlicott, medical director of the Royal New Zealand college of general practitioners about why there is a need for the ban.
This week on the Monday Wire, Lachlan speaks to Cosmo Jeffery from the Howard League about the prisoner voting ban. Southern Cross is back with the latest from across the Pacific. Jemima talks to Green Party co-leader James Shaw about the changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act, the Abortion Legislation Bill and waste minimisation. Finally, Lachlan wraps it up with an interview with Richard Medlicott from the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners about advertising prescription drugs in New Zealand.
Producer Bronwyn Wilde spoke to Don Carson from Forest Owners Association. This interview arose out of an earlier interview last month with a representative from 50 Shades of Green - a group of farmers who are concerned about the Billion Trees program encouraging investors to buy up prime farmland in order to plant trees and reap the carbon credits. The main takeaway from that initial interview was that 50 Shades of Green wanted those billion trees to be native, and planted on marginal land.
Don Carson heard this interview and got in contact to defend pines and forestry as the solution to sequester our carbon in the short term, and supply jobs for farmers who will be forced to change their lifestyles.
He began by telling us what he sees as the weaknesses of the 50 Shades of Green campaign.
It's The Thursday Wire with Stewart Sowman-Lund and Deb Rawson!
This week:
The Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has lashed out at coalition partner Labour, over their handling of the abortion law debate. Commentator Ben Thomas breaks down what this means for the government.
Plus, the Official Cash Rate dropped yesterday by 50 basis points… double market expectations. But what is the official cash rate? And why should we care that it’s dropped. Economist Shamubeel Eaqub explains it in language we can all, hopefully, understand.
After that, Justice Minister Andrew Little is here for his weekly catch-up. Stewart asks him whether he was blindsided by Winston Peters’ talk of a referendum on abortion use.
Then, as protests at Ihumatao continue, Deb asks what this all means from a legal perspective.
And finally - we’ll catch up with our Australian Correspondent to get all the latest news from across the ditch in Neighbourhood Watch!
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
95bFM 
