Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Castor Chacko, Oto Sequeira, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
Last month, the government announced Te Aka Whai Ora, or the Māori Health Authority, would be dis-established, just 18 months after it launched.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Associate Professor in Anthropology at the University of Auckland and Director of the James Henare Māori Research Centre, Marama Muru-Lanning (Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Whātua), and Senior Research Fellow at the James Henare Māori Research Centre, Dr Hilary Lapsley, about the government dis-establishing Te Aka Whai Ora and its impact on kaumatua.
This week for City Counselling Caeden spoke to Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson about the consultation process on Auckland Council’s long term plan, and the removal of some of Auckland’s public rubbish bins.
Earlier this week, world-leading general medical journal ‘The Lancet’ published a series of papers warning about the ‘overmedicalisation’ of menopause and have emphasised the importance of a fresh and conscious approach in how we support wāhine as they age. The research emphasises the importance of “going beyond medical treatments, to empower women using high-quality information on symptoms and treatments, empathic clinical care and workplace adjustments as required.”
Producer Jasmine speaks with the general manager of Women’s Health Action, Isis McKay, to further discuss what changing the conversation around menopause in Aotearoa looks like.
Nicholas speaks to Green Party Co-leader James Shaw about the Government’s transport plan and the reversal of the ban on oil and gas exploration.
Oto speaks to Clive Aspin, a public health researcher and associate professor at Victoria University of Wellington, to discuss the dissolution of the Maori Health Authority from the perspective of a health professional.
Sofia speaks to Associate Professor at Auckland University Gehan Gunasekara about the proposal to ban MPs from using the Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat.
Oto also speaks to Bill McKay, a senior lecturer of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland, to talk about universal design and its role in creating accessibility in modern buildings.
Finally, Nicholas speaks to Vani Kapoor and Cat Finai from the Citizens Advice Bureau about their upcoming awareness week.
On the 4th of March 2024, the National Government presented their updated Land Transport plan.
To pay for new roading infrastructure, the Government announced a $50 price increase on registration costs, as well as a 12-cent increase in excise fuel tax beginning in 2027.
Nicholas asked Green Party Co-Leader James Shaw about his party’s position on the plan and their response to the Government’s reasoning behind building new roads.
Nicholas also spoke about the implications of a reversal of a ban on oil and gas exploration. A reversal that the Green Party has been firmly in opposition to.
It’s been a week since the government went ahead with its decision to dismantle Te Aka Whai Ora, the Maori health authority, reversing the 2022 initiative by the labour government to improve health services and outcomes for Maori.
The move has been widely criticised across the country, with many calling the move a step-back in progress towards improving Maori health, and indigenous rights as a whole.
Producer Oto spoke to Clive Aspin, a public health researcher and associate professor at Victoria University of Wellington, to discuss the dissolution of Te Aka Whai Ora, from the perspective of a health professional and what the move means for Maori Health outcomes.
The Citizens Advice Bureau is a nationwide, but locally based, community organisation that aims to provide advice on a range of topics.
The Citizens Advice Bureau is mainly comprised of volunteers, and next week from the 11th to the 17th of March they will be holding their awareness week.
Nicholas spoke to Vani Kapoor and Cat Finai about the work that the bureau does as well as their upcoming awareness
Around this time last year, the government banned TikTok on devices with access to the parliamentary network following in the footsteps of countries like Canada and the UK.
This time, parliament is considering a ban on popular Chinese messaging app WeChat.
Sofia spoke to Associate Professor of Commercial Law at Auckland University Gehan Gunasekara about cyber security risks and why it seems to only concern Chinese-owned apps.
Much of our infrastructure and architecture has been constructed by able-bodied people, with little regard for those with different mobility needs.
Accessibility for differently abled people is usually a secondary consideration, with wheelchair ramps and similar accessibility measures sometimes being crudely installed at the back of buildings as a quickfire measure to comply with building accessibility requirements, leaving those with different mobility needs often feeling like second class citizens
Producer Oto spoke to Bill McKay, a senior lecturer of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland, to talk about universal design, the idea that buildings and infrastructure should be constructed in a way that is accessible to people of ALL mobility needs and capabilities.
MethaneSAT, a global initiative to track and reduce methane emissions, is launching today.
Although primarily funded by the US Environmental Defence Fund, the satellite is the first government funded space mission in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The US side of the project will focus on measuring and identifying methane leaks from oil and gas production, while scientists in New Zealand will use the satellite to study global emissions from agriculture.
Producer, Sofia Roger Williams, spoke to Spacecraft Mission Operations Director at Te Pūnaha Ātea, the Space Institute at the University of Auckland, Chris Jackson, about the launch, New Zealand’s role, and how the data gathered can help us make global and local recommendations to reduce methane emissions.
The Healthcare exec Brian Thompson was shot dead by a masked assailant last week.
The crime has gained significant controversy and attention online, with many using it to restart the debate on the inequities of the United States healthcare system.
And this week Yale University was the latest college to commit to divesting from weapons manufacturing after a student vote.
For State of the States this week Wire Host Caeden speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about both of these topics.
The government as announced their plan for the Cook Strait ferry a year after they scrapped Labour’s plan, including cancelling the ferries the Labour government had ordered.
And a new report from the Ministry of Social Development has revealed nearly a quarter of beneficiaries are not receiving their correct entitlements.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
For City Counselling this week, producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Shane Henderson about proposed time-of-use charging to solve congestion problems in Tāmaki and Council selling their remaining Auckland Airport shares last week.
The Green party recently released He Ara Anamata - the Green party’s emissions reduction plan.
The document covers more than 10 areas of the economy and energy Sector that a Greens-led government would be looking to adapt to minimise carbon emissions and protect the natural landscapes of Aotearoa.
It also comes 5 months after the government released their own draft emissions plan. Numerous experts pointed out that the government is behind on their own plan’s targets to meet the crucial emissions budget for 2031-2035.
For their weekly catchup, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss the party’s new emissions reduction plan and how they would address climate and the economy in a greens-led government.
Last election, one of the National Party’s main campaign promises was to be ‘tough on crime’, promising to increase police coverage and penalties for crimes. A target was set to increase the number of police officers by 500 by November 2025, however some police leaders today say this goal is unrealistic.
The government also announced this week some shakeups to insulation standards, which they say should make houses more affordable.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor spoke to him about police staffing targets and new insulation standards.
This week on Dear Science, our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about what latrines teach us about people, climate variation affecting Chinese dynasties, and invasive species becoming threatened.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
Last week it was revealed that two of the ten participants in the government's pilot bootcamp programme were on the run.
The youth were two months into the community rehabilitation phase of the programme, following the three month youth justice residence phase. Both teens were found in the weekend, but had allegedly reoffended, and are now set to come before the court.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, who have been heavily advocating for this programme, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about this incident.
She also talks to him about proposed changes to employment law which would give employers the power to dismiss workers earning over $180,000 without the employee refuting the decision.
And finally, she talks to him about David Seymour’s incumbent run as Deputy Prime Minister, which is set to begin in May of next year.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about changes to Auckland Transport’s responsibilities, nationwide bus and train fare hikes, and concerns over the opening of the City Rail Link.
For State of the States this week, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Andre Fa'aoso from the Yale Daily News about President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, who was due to be sentenced next week for three felony charges.
They also discuss Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director, who is the latest in a long list of unorthodox picks for government positions from Trump
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