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.
Producer Conor speaks with Jon Johanson, senior lecturer in the politics department at Victoria University. They discuss the implications of Winston Peter’s coalition decision and what change we can expect in the coming term.
Kelly spoke to renowned columnist David Slack about the prejudice Jacinda Ardern has been facing from some journalism personalities, and the role the media needs to take in the coming weeks.
Producer Conor speaks with Jon Johanson, senior lecturer in the politics department at Victoria University. They discuss the implications of Winston Peter’s coalition decision and what change we can expect in the coming term.
Jami-Lee Ross from the National Party joins us to chat about the coalition results that were announced yesterday, and what the future holds for the new opposition party.
This week on Neighbourhood Watch with Nicole Wedding from Radio Adelaide: The UN Human Rights Committee has criticised Australia's past record. Breakfast show host Lisa Wilkinson has left the Today show for another channel under speculation of sexism from the station, and the Greens are saying drug dogs are ineffective and expensive.
Kelly spoke to renowned columnist David Slack about the prejudice Jacinda Ardern has been facing from some journalism personalities, and the role the media needs to take in the coming weeks.
Producer Laura Kvigstad, spoke with People Against Prison Aotearoa Political Parliamentary Advocacy Coordinator, Kate McIntyre on the recent petition to end solitary confinement in New Zealand.
Lachlan speaks with with Universities NZ Director Chris Whelan about the 2% increase in fees across Aotearoa. Then, Ben spoke with AUSA President WIll Matthews about the recent vote by the University of Auckland to increase their fees.
Forest and Bird’s annual bird of the year competition has got heated this year with the Kea and the Kereru fighting it out for top spot. Harry spoke with David Mills from Kereru Brewing Company about how theyre getting behind the kereru campaign.
Lachlan spoke with KidsCan CEO Julie Chapman about the organisation's work and the recent announcement that twice as many children in low decile schools needed their assistance than 6 years ago.
On today's Wire we talked with Chris Whelan from Universities NZ and Will Matthews from the AUSA about a vote to raise student fees.
Host Harry spoke to Labour MP Phil Twyford about the ongoing coalition negotiations.
We also had David Mills from the Kereru Brewing Company as well as Kim Collins from Forest and Bird to talk about who's going to win the Bird of the Year competition.
For our regular State of the States feature Harry spoke to Nick Sawhney about the latest Donald Trump controversy.
Finally, Lachlan talked to Julie Chapman from KidsCan about schoolchildren going hungry, and Ben takes us back to 1987 for This Day in History.
This year's forest and bird bird of the year competition is getting heated. The race is on and the dirty politics have been played. Will the kereru fly across the finish line ahead of the Kea? Harry spoke to campaign coordinator Kim Collins to find out more.
A new quarterly Consumer price index report has been released by Statistics New Zealand.
The consumer price index, or CPI, measures the rate of price change of goods and services purchased by New Zealand households. For the September year housing and household utilities increased 3.0 percent. Food prices increased 2.8 percent and vegetables were up 9.0 percent.
In a press release, Council of Trade Unions Secretary, Sam Huggard said that "Prices are rising faster than wages, and some of the biggest price rises are basic necessities for the lowest paid." He added that "In the year to June, the average hourly wage rose only 1.6 percent and the Labour Cost Index rose only 1.7 percent"
Producer Reuben McLaren spoke to Sam earlier and asked him about the new CPI findings.
bFM news director Lillian Hanly talks to Nathan Judd, one of the musicians who created the song 'The Kingmaker'. Nathan talks us through his thought process and artistic goals in the creation of the song.
If you are interested in the music video you can find it here.
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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