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.
Also in attendance at Tūrangawaewae marae for the Kiingitanga held hui-a-motu on Saturday was author and professor of Māori studies at the University of Auckland Margaret Mutu. Margaret and Rosetta had a kōrero about the hui and what movements we can expect to see from Māori in order to protect Te Tiriti, particularly around Waitangi day next month. They spoke about the notable absence of Christopher Luxon, Winston Peters, and David Seymour from the event on Saturday and what she believes both Māori and non-Māori need to be doing in order to protect Te Reo Māori, Tangata Whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi under the current government.
A new road user charge is applying to electric vehicles from the 1st of April this year. This has been expected for a while, but some people are concerned the cost is arbitrary and forcing EV users to pay more to use the roads than their petrol car using counterparts.
Caeden spoke to Massey Professor Ralph E H Sims about why the numbers don’t make sense, and his comment that the whole road user charge system needs to be reviewed.
Recently He Arotake Pōtitanga Motuhake, the Independent Electoral Review released a report discussing their recommendations to the current government on changes to our electoral system.
One of the proposed changes involved granting voting rights to all prisoners. Currently, prisoners serving sentences of longer than three years are not allowed to enrol to vote.
I speak to Emmy Rākete, the press spokesperson from People Against Prisons Aotearoa, about prisoner voting rights and what the proposal could mean.
As of Tuesday January 16th, certain fishing vessels operating near Aotearoa’s shore are now required to have cameras on board in order to get a more accurate understanding of the marine mammals and seabirds being injured or killed due to commercial fishing.
Between September 20th, 2023 and January 8th, 2024, the deaths of 6 Hector’s dolphins in fishing nets were identified.
Overseas, camera monitoring on board commercial fishing vessels has become standard practice. As of last year in Aotearoa, only 25% coverage of the country’s entire fleet has been reached.
Beth spoke with Professor at the University of Otago, Liz Sooten, about the impact of commercial fishing on marine mammals and seabirds in Aotearoa, and non-harmful approaches to commercial fishing.
Accessible Ubers and taxis are expensive, leaving public transport the only option for many. However, Aotearoa’s public transport system has been criticised as lacking accessibility for people with disabilities.
Olivia spoke to member of the Disabled Persons Assembly NZ, Paul Brown, about the current accessibility issues with our public transport system, and what people can do to learn more about this topic.
That was member of the Disabled Persons Assembly NZ, Paul Brown, speaking to me about accessibility issues with our current public transport system.
Though recently Luxon has joined with other world leaders in supporting a ceasefire in Gaza, many have called for the New Zealand government to take further action.
Member of the Palestinian community, Katrina Mitchell-Kouttab has started a petition calling for New Zealand to live up to its international obligations. Olivia asked her why it’s important for the Government to support Palestine, and where people can learn more about this cause.
Producer Olivia spoke to member of the Palestinian community, Katrina Mitchell-Koutabb, about her petition calling for the Government to do more to stand with Palestine.
She also spoke to member of the Disabled Persons Assembly, Paul Brown, about accessibility issues with our current public transport system.
And News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Health Coalition Co-Chair Professor, Lisa Te Morenga, and Action on Smoking Harm (ASH) Director, Ben Youdan, about their stances on the Government repealing smoke-free measures.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Action on Smoking Harm (ASH) Director Ben Youdan about their stance on the government repealing smoke-free new measures.
She started off the interview by asking Youdan about the purpose of ASH and his involvement in tobacco control?
While many Kiwis took the Christmas period as a time of respite and relaxation, the bombardment of Gaza by Israel continued.
After just over one hundred days of bombardment it is estimated that nearly twenty-four-thousand Palestinians have died with over two million people being displaced from their homes as a result of the conflict.
Nicholas spoke to the National Coordinator of Palestinians in Aotearoa, Dr Ahmed Saadeh for an update on the situation in Gaza.
The average words per minute (wpm) a person can type out on a phone is around 35 words. This is slightly higher for computers with an average of around 40-45 wpm.
Stenographers can produce up to an incredible 360 wpm, keeping up with conversation in real time. However the skillset requiring this is tedious and expensive to employ; resulting in outsourcing and automation of transcription.
Director of Mercury Transcripts Katherine O'Brien spoke to Sofia about how stenography works and about being one of the last four stenographers in all of Aotearoa.
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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