Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Your hosts, Rosetta Stone, Milly Smyth, Caeden Tipler, and Jessica Hopkins, focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
The National Party has promised to halve child poverty by 2028, and has committed to stick to the targets outlined in the Child Poverty Reduction Act, however many are worrying that not enough policy has been outlined in order to achieve this. The party’s policy of the Independent Earner Tax Credit will start in April next year and targets the “squeezed middle”, but will provide little relief for families who rely on welfare to survive.
Susan St John is an associate professor at the University of Auckland Business School, and has recently published an opinion piece in The Conversation, titled “If NZ’s new government wants a simple fix to improve child poverty, here’s what it should do” urging the party to do more to reduce child poverty. Rosetta spoke to her about how she believes the tax credit system needs to be altered in order to support low income families more.
Thanks for tuning in! E whai akei nei, on the show today…
Rosetta spoke to Nick Henry, Climate Justice Lead at Oxfam Aotearoa, about their call for New Zealand and Australian governments to endorse the Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific
She also spoke to Speaking to Susan St John, Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Auckland's Business School about The future of child poverty under a National Government and their goal to halve child poverty by 2028
Rosetta also spoke to Climate Justice Taranaki's Tuhi-Ao Bailey about the blockades of major dairy, gas, and fertiliser companies on the anniversary of the invasion of Parihaka on 5 November 1881 last week.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT party, Lou spoke with ACT MP Simon Court about any updates towards the coalition between National, ACT, and NZ First, as well as ACTs response to Chlöe Swarbick’s use of the Chant “From the River to the Sea” when calling for Palestinian liberation.
Lou also spoke with Jane Alsweiler, associate professor and neo-natal paediatrician at the University of Auckland in regards to RSV drug funding.
Care and support workers are currently in the midst of a pay equity agreement, with all three major unions undertaking work to make sure workers are paid equitably.
The workers, predominantly women, last received a pay rise in 2017, and their wages have simply not matched the cost of living. In some cases workers, who often use their own cars to drive to clients, have to stay beyond their paid hours just to make sure the people they are caring for receive the appropriate care.
Te Whatu Ora has delayed the pay equity settlement, despite not being directly involved in the relationship between employees and employers. This has got some union members and representatives riled up.
Following international Care And Support day, Arno spoke to the Public Service Association assistant secretary Melissa Woolley. Arno started our interview by asking what the PSA is and what it does.
Next, Arno spoke to a Care And Support worker named Monique Behan-Kitto. They have unique insight into the struggles faced by workers and the struggle for pay equity. Arno started our interview by asking about Monique’s role as a care and support worker.
Vaping is still shrouded in a cloud of mystery, and the effects it has on our health is largely unknown. With record numbers of Kiwis turning to vapes, a lot of interest has been placed in finding out how bad they really are.
Last time Arno spoke with Dr Kelly Burrowes, bioengineering PhD at the University of Auckland, they were calling for tighter regulations on vaping. Many of these regulations are now imminent.
Dr Burrowes recently obtained two research grants that will together span a total of five years, looking into the effects of vaping on the lungs. Arno started our interview by asking about these grants.
Today is World Ventil8 Day, which aims to highlight the importance of good ventilation for health and wellbeing.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Senior Research Fellow at the University of Otago, Dr Julie Bennett, who says New Zealand is lagging behind when it comes to indoor ventilation standards.
She started off the interview by asking Bennett about the purpose of World Ventil8 Day.
On a very health-focused Wire for Rāapa Wednesday.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to NZ Drug Foundation Principal Science Advisor, Emily Hughes, about synthetic opioids being sold as other substances.
She also spoke to Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director, Sarah Dalton, about how the incoming governments proposed tax cuts could impact investment in the health sector.
And she spoke to senior research fellow at the University of Otago, Dr Julie Bennett, about World Ventil8 Day.
Arno spoke to Assistant National Secretary of the Public Services Association, Melissa Woolley, and care and support worker, Monique Behan-Kitto, about their pay equity settlement that has been delayed by Te Whatu Ora.
And he spoke to Bioengineer at the University of Auckland Dr Kelly Burrowes about new research on how vaping affects the lungs.
Drug checking providers have reported seeing an increase in a group of synthetic opioids, nitazines, being sold as other substances, with the High Alert warning this week about a highly potent synthetic opioid being misrepresented as butonitazene.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to NZ Drug Foundation Principal Science Advisor Emily Hughes about this recent development.
She started off the interview asking Hughes why they are concerned about the growing prevalence of nitazenes in the community, especially if they are being sold as something else.
Today the team is joined in the studio by Allan Blackman. They discuss a new conflict surrounding animal naming conventions, the role of light in water evaporation and a breakthrough in waterproof surfaces.
For our weekly catchup with Dr Shane Reti, Nicholas decided to ask questions regarding the on-going conflict in Israel and Palestine.
On October 7th members of Hamas’ militant wing entered Israel and killed 1,400 iIsraelis and took 240 hostages.
Israel’s response has been swift, with the Associated Press recently reporting that nine thousand Palestinian have been killed in retaliation with Al Jazeera reporting over four thousand of those deaths being Palestinian children.
New Zealand has recently voted in favour of the ceasefire, and Nicholas' questions to Dr Reti were centred around his party’s response to the violence.
For this week’s City Counselling, Beth caught up with Counsellor for Waitakere Shane Henderson. They spoke about proposed congestion charges, which could come into effect as soon as 2025.
Mayor Wayne Brown has previously proposed charges of $3.50 and $5 during peak hours for car-users on State Highway One, between Penrose and Greenlane, and State Highway 16, between Lincoln Road and Te Atatū Road.
This week for Tomorrow's world Rawan spoke with the head of the Institute of marine science, Simon Thrush about his new report on the Hauraki Gulf.
The report looked 150 years into the future of the Hauraki Gulf and predicted that there was a chance for a much better future for the region.
Rawan asked Professor Simon Thrush about how he came to this conclusion, what methods of conservation we need to use in order to achieve the vision he describes and how we can integrate iwi support.
This week Allan joins the crew to discuss allegations of manipulated data that supported a major stroke trial and important Alzheimer’s research, new research into the factors that influence decisions made by chess players and a new intravenous needle that softens once in the body.
For our weekly catch-up with Auckland Council, Beth spoke to Counsellor Shane Henderson about the Council’s consultation on Tāmaki Makaurau’s freshwater and community involvement.
This week Davide Mercadante joins the team in the studio for Dear Science. Davide talks the group through scientifically backed coaching methods, the genetic advantages of sunflowers and a new study that is looking at how our native language affects how we think.
For their regular catch-up, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Green Party Co-Leader, James Shaw, about whether Aotearoa should be calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the Auckland Council voting against having indigenous representation in the form of Māori seats, while just under half of New Zealand’s 78 councils voted to have the indigenous representation.
This week Davide joins the crew to discuss the discovery of hidden trees throughout Europe that gives new hope for carbon storage, potentially hazardous litter leaf and the pitfalls of biodegradable bags might not be as good as we thought to recycle organic waste!
The Tuesday Wire team is joined by Davide Mercadante for Dear Science. The team discusses honesty migration drain, the false probability of coin flips and a new enzyme that fights against viruses and mutations.
For our weekly catch-up, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Green Party Co-leader James Shaw about New Zealand’s response to recent Israel and Hamas attacks and whether the Green Party believes the international community should do more to support Palestine.
And with election day approaching, they also discussed the importance of voting, and why the Green Party believes you should give their vote to them.
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