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.
Recent tensions within Te Pāti Māori, which exploded into the light last month, have culminated in the expulsion of two rogue MPs: Mariameno Kapa-Kingi of Te Tai Tokerau and Tākuta Ferris of Te Tai Tonga.
Despite this, much remains unresolved, and controversy lingers over the preceding actions, the manner in which they were communicated online, and how the expulsion was handled by the party leadership.
Wednesday Wire Producer Manny spoke with Jason Mika, Professor of Māori Management at the University of Auckland, to get his perspective on the expulsions.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about government ministers announcing they are considering banning rough sleeping in Auckland’s CBD, recent unemployment figures, and the government’s action plan to combat meth usage.
For this week's Get Action, Producer Manny spoke to JT from Touch Compass on their petition to Say YES to “Access” #YesToAccessNZ | Words shape world on their petition to replace inclusion with access.
Manny spoke with Jason Mika, Professor of Māori Management at the University of Auckland, about the ructions within Te Pāti Māori.
And News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with Professor John Morgan, The Head of the School Critical Studies and Education at the University of Auckland, about his article on Newsroom his belief that the country is seeing a collapse of the second curriculum accord.
In an article on Newsroom, John Morgan, Head of the School Critical Studies and Education at the University of Auckland, discusses his belief that we are seeing a collapse in the country’s curriculum accord.
This comes as the government has announced a plethora of changes to the country’s curriculum heading forward.
News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Morgan about the history of the curriculum accords in the country and why we are seeing changes in this space.
For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin about the world’s biggest spiderweb, bacteria movement, and the Marsden Fund Awards for 2025, thanks to MOTAT.
For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Sara spoke to MP Carl Bates about the Climate Change Response Act, the Regulatory Standards Bill, and measures being considered around homelessness in Auckland's CBD.
For Green World, Sara spoke to Professor James Renwick from Victoria University in Wellington, about the impact of climate change on human health
Producer Faith spoke to Aaaron Hendry from the Kick Back, Make Change organisation about the government considering banning homeless people rough sleeping in the CBD
Last month, Professors James Renwick, Simon Hales, Rebecca Priestley and Alistair Woodward produced a briefing calling for urgent action on New Zealand’s climate policies, given the vast direct and indirect impacts of climate change on human health.
For Green World this week, Wire Host Sara spoke with Victoria University of Wellington Professor James Renwick, from the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, about their report, going into depth about the health consequences of climate inaction
The government has been considering a ban on homeless people rough sleeping in central Auckland after dark.
Spokespeople from homelessness and poverty action groups have criticised the proposal for not effectively addressing the root causes of the crisis.
Producer Faith spoke to Aaron Hendry from the youth homelessness organisation Kick Back Make Change about the consideration, and its potential consequences
In light of Guy Fawkes Day last week, the NZ First Party has launched a member’s bill that aims to ban the public sale and use of fireworks in the country.
Party Leader, Winston Peters, in announcing the member’s bill, says the reason for this proposed move stems from its possibility to cause fires, and its harm to pets.
News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Auckland, about the member’s bill, and the impact fireworks season has on animals, both companion and non-companion.
They also touched on why we have seen so many member’s bills come from the party, in light of an opinion piece by Spinoff journalist Joel MacManus.
Concerns have been raised that rough sleepers will be pushed into unfamiliar suburbs outside of Auckland CBD, following government ministers' consideration of new measures.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says he had been tasked with making sure police were equipped to halt public disorder. When questioned explicitly about the ban, he said, "We're working our way through those issues... when we've got something to announce, we'll announce that."
As well as this, the Regulatory Standards Bill has passed its second reading in Parliament, having seen a few changes made to the bill in the select committee process.
The bill, having received 156,000 public submissions, almost 99% in opposition to the bill, is controversial. Constitutional experts and critics of the bill have expressed concerns that the amendments do not address its failings, and the “ideological” way it has been written means that if passed, the bill will have a lasting impact. The bill also lacks references to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
For our weekly catch-up with ACT Party’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to him about both these topics.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about government ministers announcing they are considering banning rough sleeping in Auckland’s CBD and the Regulatory Standards Bill passing its second reading.
Producer Alex spoke to Dr Iresh Jayawardena, a lecturer in Architecture and Urban Planning and lead researcher for the Future Cities Research Centre about Earth Science New Zealand’s new Flood Risk Map, and what it says about our infrastructure’s exposure to climate based harms.
And Joel spoke to Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Auckland, about NZ First’s members bill proposed a ban on the private sale and use of fireworks, touching on why we are seeing so many members bills from the party.
Tāmaki Makaurau’s council budget is among those impacted by the proposal of a rates cap, considering Tāmaki’s average 5.8% annual rates increase across the 25/26 financial year.
Youth homelessness is a growing concern as discussions continue around “move on” orders for those without housing in Auckland’s CBD.
And the Skycity Convention Centre is set to open in 2026, with high hopes for what it may bring for Tāmaki Makaurau after its prolonged development.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Counsellor Fairey about these topics.
The Trump administration has caused issues of significant food waste due to a range of its policies, including immigration raids, tariffs, cuts to food assistance programmes, and the destruction of food for programmes like USAID.
This has had huge consequences, including environmental impacts, as well as impacts on the estimated more than 47 million people in the US who don’t have enough food to eat, and those who have relied on US foreign aid that has been cut.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Garrett Graddy-Lovelace, Provost Associate Professor in Environment, Development & Health at American University, about these issues.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
Christmas Lights at MOTAT - experience Auckland’s most magical Christmas lights - heritage trams, festive music, Santa visits, and thousands of sparkling lights Tickets at motat.nz
Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year.
For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.
From today until the 4th of December, a conference will be held in Queenstown that will look into pest management and how best to protect native species.
The event not only brings experts in the sector from Aotearoa, but will also involve Australian experts as well.
Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week’s conference, and what to expect.
The government has recently announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
The ‘shake-up’ of regional councils has left concerns that the move would water down environmental regulations at a local level, reduce Māori and iwi voices in decision making, and would result in central government overreaching into local politics.
As well as this, Parliament’s Justice Committee has recommended passing the Electoral Amendment Bill, albeit with some amendments
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with the changes to regional councils.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka announced the government’s release of the new social housing investment plan which aims to shift to a “needs-based, data driven approach”.
The new flexible fund includes $41 million dollars in operating funding over the next four years, and the government have stated they expect to support up to 770 social homes and affordable rentals in the initial phase.
As well, Health Minister Simeon Brown last week announced a Cabinet decision to stop new prescriptions for puberty blockers for young people identifying as trans or experiencing gender dysphoria.
The rule, in effect from 19th of December, is based on recommendations from a UK National Health Service review which determined that the evidence to the benefits or risks of the treatment was “remarkably weak”.
The government is expected to pause new prescriptions until the outcome of a clinical trial being conducted in the UK, expected to be completed in 2031.
Wire Host Sara spoke with MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, firstly by asking about the flexible fund which will replace the so-called ‘patchwork of programmes’ in place for social housing.
Christmas Lights at MOTAT - experience Auckland’s most magical Christmas lights - heritage trams, festive music, Santa visits, and thousands of sparkling lights Tickets at MOTAT.NZ.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
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