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 a press release from Closing the Gap, we spoke with Peter Malcolm about rheumatic fever rates in New Zealand. As a 'developed' country, critics have said it is shocking that we continue to have an increasing rate of this preventable disease. However, the issue is not only medical. Coined 'the canary in the coal mine for inequality', we talked about how this disease could be significantly reduced by targeting inequality in New Zealand.
Last December the government introduced the misuse of drugs amendment act concerning medicinal cannabis. They have until December this year to determine the regulations for a medicinal cannabis scheme. Following the Government's move to increase access to this, two professors at the University of Otago are cautioning the future changes for medical cannabis products. Professor Michelle Glass, and Associate professor John Ashton of the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology have outlined some potential issues regarding medicinal cannabis regulation. Here is the Wire's Louis Laws talking with Michelle about the catering of cannabis.
Stewart and Grace are back after a couple of weeks away.
On the Wire this week:
Grace talks to Auckland Action Against Poverty coordinator, Ricardo Menendez, about the effect of rising living costs on beneficiaries
After that, Stewart Sowman-Lund chats to Labour’s Andrew Little chats about hate speech, Brian Tamaki and Pike River.*
Then, Oscar talks to Otago University Associate Professor Melody Smith about the health side of a report which says urgent steps must be taken to encourage New Zealanders to walk, cycle or take public transport.
And finally, National MP Chris Bishop talks to Stewart about a concerning email from lobby group Family First about the End of Life Choice Bill.
All that plus cats, angry texter feedback and Simon Bridges yelling 'slushies'. It's The Thursday Wire!
*NOTE: Stewart's interview with Andrew Little was recorded prior to the announcement that re-entry into the Mine had been delayed.
Oscar speaks with Associate Professor Melody Smith about the Turning the Tide-from Cars to Active Transport, which was released yesterday. The University of Otago report says that encouraging New Zealanders to be more active is paramount.
Grace speaks with Ricardo Menendez, Auckland Action Against Poverty Coordinator, about rising living costs and how they are unevenly afffecting beneficiaries.
On Dear Science with AUT's Allan Blackman, scientists discover the Universe's first molecule, a more efficient way to produce Ammonia, and we talk about the recent Flat Earth Society conference.
We have NZ First back on the show after a bit of a hiatus, Lillian Hanly catches up with Fletcher Tabuteau about the Christchurch terror attacks and the Capital Gains Tax announcement recently.
The Women’s Self-Defence Network Wahine Toa was hosting a free self defence session for refugee and migrant women and other marginalised genders along with free lunch and childcare. LIllian speaks with Vivian Chandra from the Women’s Self-Defence Network Wahine Toa to find out more about the event and discuss why it is important for women to know self-defence.
The full show podcast for the Tuesday Wire for the 30th of April, 2019. This week we discuss Active transport, First Fridays and Sudan. A huge thank you to everyone who spoke to us and helped make this show happen.
A recent report was released into the conditions of three prisons by the Office of the INspectorate (Corrections), finding low staffing numbers were straining conditions. These are different from the independent Ombudsman’s reports that have been coming out in recent years, and have been quite critical of prisons in Aotearoa. The report highlighted the difficulty facing mental health facilities, overcrowding, and violence in prisons. Last week some corrections officers called for prisoners who assault them to have their sentences extended I spoke with Dr Liam Martin from Victoria University about the report and corrections officers.
On Wednesday the 1st of May the Auckland University Students Association (AUSA) will hold a hui at Waipapa marae called "Zero Tolerance?". The hui aims to focus discussion around experiences of discrimination, harassment and bullying at the University of Auckland to determine how the university can build a stronger, more effective policy against these issues. This comes in the wake of white supremacist groups appearing on campus and many students feeling like this is not properly addressed by the university.
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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