Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Castor Chacko, Alex Fox, Emmanuel Orange, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about Green MP Tamatha Paul’s comments about the police and Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ recent announcement on the supermarket duopoly.
For International Desk, they spoke to Dr Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria from Curtin University in Perth about the arrest of former Philippines President, Rodrigo Duterte, by the International Criminal Court.
For City Counselling, Producer Sara spoke to Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson about Auckland Transport’s decision to increase parking rates by 50 cents per hour in lots across Auckland, as well as the latest development in Auckland’s ‘stadium saga’, in which councillors have voted to support the Eden Park 2.1 project.
She also spoke with Unite Union’s Co-President Xavier Walsh about their call to action for the government, after the minimum wage was only increased by 35 cents this week, the lowest increase in more than a decade.
The adult minimum-wage rate has been set to increase by just 35 cents from the 1st April, the lowest increase since 2013.
Announcing the move on Tuesday, Minister for Workplace Relations Brooke Van Velden says it reflects the New Zealand economy’s recovery from a “sustained period of high interest rates and recessionary conditions” and ensures that “employers and businesses can continue to grow and provide employment opportunities – which could be put at risk with a disproportionate increase in the minimum wage.”
Unite Union, who represent hospitality and other minimum-wage workers, disagree.
On Tuesday, Unite Union organised five rallies across Aotearoa demanding the government to provide real pathways to a living wage.
They highlight that the minimum wage increase is essentially a pay cut for thousands of workers as it falls below the inflation adjustment.
To discuss more about the what many believe is this less-than-sufficient wage increase and Unite Union’s call to action, Producer Sara spoke with Unite Union’s co-president Xavier Walsh this morning. Here is that interview
New research, which has been commissioned by the Helen Clark Foundation shows that many are expressing concern for social cohesion in the country.
Tuesday Wire Host, Castor, spoke to the Movement Building and Advocacy Director for Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand, Lisa Woods, about this research, and why people may be concerned for social cohesion in New Zealand.
For their weekly catchup w/ the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March, Oto spoke to him about Brooke van Velden's changes to the health and safety at work act, The recent controversies over comments made by Greens MPs Tamatha Paul and Benjamin Doyle and The Greens’ call to scrap government changes to early childhood care.
For this week’s Green Desk, Producer Leilani speaks to the Hospital Manager at BirdCare Aotearoa; a rehabilitation hospital for native birds, Pooja Dorle, about how to care for a sick or injured bird. Producer Liam, and News and Editorial Director, Joel, also attended their EcoFest workshop to check out the hospital, prior to their next event on the 6th of April. Thanks to Ecofest 2025!
Tuesday Wire Host, Castor, speaks to the Movement Building and Advocacy Director for Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand, Lisa Woods, about new research showing many are concerned for social cohesion in the country.
For this week’s Get Action! Oto spoke to Clinical Psychologist Dr Kumari Valentine about a petition to the government to roll back plans to introduce a new associate Psychology role.
And he spoke to Rachel Mackintosh, Assistant National Secretary at E Tū, about a poll they conducted showing opposition to the government’s plan to cut living wage requirements for a number of professions.
For Dear Science this week, our expert, Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about a series of science related april fools pranks, including a local “Sheep Albedo Hypothesis”.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about Tamatha Paul’s recent comments on public attitudes towards police officers.
They also spoke to MOTAT’s Te Puawānanga coordinator, Phoebe Drayton about the STEM fair this weekend and what everyone can get up to.
And they spoke to National Secretary of the Public Service Association about job cuts at archives NZ and what this means for the preservation of our nation’s records.
Producer Amani spoke to Director of Communications for UNICEF Aotearoa Tania Sawick Mead about the recent and planned cuts to global aid funding, which leave 14 million children at an increased risk of severe malnutrition and death.
This weekend at MOTAT is the STEM fair, celebrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. There’s plenty of exhibitions and activities to get engaged in, and to discuss the fair Wire host Castor spoke to MOTAT’s Te Puawānanga coordinator, Phoebe Drayton.
You can find more information about the STEM fair and book tickets here.
Approximately 14 million children are likely to experience disruptions in nutrition support and services due to recent and anticipated global funding reductions, according to analyses by UNICEF.
The funding shortfall arises amid children worldwide grappling with record displacement, ongoing and newly emerging conflicts, disease outbreaks, and the devastating effects of climate change - all of which are threatening their access to sufficient nutrition.
Producer Amani spoke with Director of Communications for UNICEF Aotearoa Tania Sawick Mead to find out more about what further cuts to global aid funding could lead to.
Archives New Zealand and the National Library announced last week plans to cut 30 roles within the organisations. The two organisations are responsible for the preservation and retrieval of both historical and legal records in Aotearoa. The National Library also assists libraries and schools across the country in initiatives to boost children’s engagement with literacy and reading.
To discuss the impact of the layoffs and what they say about the government’s broader approach to the situation Wire host Castor spoke to national secretary of the public service association, Fleur Fitzsimons.
Recently, Green MP, Tamatha Paul’s comments have made headlines across mainstream New Zealand political coverage.
At a panel with the University of Canterbury Greens and Peace Action Ōtautahi, Paul said Pōneke did not want to see police officers everywhere, as “for a lot of people it makes them feel unsafe,” as well as accusing police of “waiting for homeless people to leave their spot and throwing out their belongings” which she sez is a comment she received from a local MP from the Downtown Community Ministry and Salvation Army.
Paul has received backlash from some politicians, including Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, and Opposition Leader, Chris Hipkins.
However, many believe that what Paul said has been sensationalised.
On Friday, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Press Spokesperson for People Against Prisons Aotearoa and Criminology Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dr Emmy Rākete, about Paul’s comments, and how she is viewing this whole situation.
They started off by asking her how she is feeling about the reception of Paul's comments.
Changes to how the supermarket duopoly in the country have been put forward by Finance Minister, Nicola Willis.
Currently there are only two major supermarket chains in the country: Woolworths and Foodstuffs, with this move aiming to establish alternative options to how these companies operate.
News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Chief Executive of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy, about these developments, and how the organisation are feeling about them.
They started off by asking him how much of a concern the current duopoly is.
Despite a tenuous ceasefire, the fuel crisis - resulting from the US and Israel bombing of Iran, and subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz - drags on. Prices have remained high, hitting low-income households hard, and while fuel stocks in or on-the-way to the country sit comfortably above a month’s cover, approaches to conserving fuel remain front-of-mind for many.
One strategy that New Zealanders have been urged to adopt is switching to public transport, which would put fewer cars on the road. However, access is often dependent on location and affordability.
Over the past few years, the Ministry of Education has reviewed numerous rural school bus routes, cancelling some, cutting off students from ready access to their education.
For this week’s Get Action, producer Theo spoke to Alicia Hall from Parents for Climate Aotearoa, on their petition to restore rural school bus routes and make public transport free for children, and students under 25.
If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here.
Last week, the Green Party leaders, Marama Davidson and Chloe Swarbrick, hosted their state of the planet address, where they launched their call to electrify the nation.
On top of that, events this week have led the party to criticise the government. The first critique, instigated by the floods that swept the nation, hitting the Coromandel and causing a state of emergency in the Wellington Region, led the Greens to question the government's decreased funding of flood responses as harsh weather increases.
The second critique came with a cabinet paper this week that shows the government is planning on moving ahead with reforms to legislation that will see references to the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Tiriti o Waitangi redefined, in what the government sez is about ‘standardisation’ but what the Green Party sees as dishonouring Te Tiriti.
So for our weekly catch-up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March, we discuss their criticisms of the government but start with a discussion of their electrification policy.
Last week, fuel stocks in the country went down by three or four days across each fuel type. The government recognised this as not enough to change to phase two in the national fuel plan, drawing some concerned comments from the political opposition around the state of our stocks, and when the government plans to actually move up phases.
Following a week that saw both Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon comment on the state of the Strait of Hormuz, and the way the United States has handled the ongoing conflict, Willis also travelled to the US to meet with White House advisors.
This week, Host Alex spoke with National MP Ryan Hamilton about these fuel crisis developments, and what the government’s approach going forward may look like.
To start our discussion, however, we spoke briefly about the confidence in Christopher Luxon’s Leadership.
Earlier this week, Councillor Julie Fairey moved a resolution to investigate Auckland Council’s involvement with companies that are complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.
And this week, Auckland Council launched an AI virtual assistant to report issues such as graffiti, roaming dogs, and noise complaints.
For City Counselling, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about both of these topics.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown announced the signing of a new ‘City Deal’.
The deal will see closer partnership between the central government and Auckland Council, coordinating planning in areas such as infrastructure and transportation.
The deal will see a long-term partnership between the government and council, with regular meetings and cooperation on strategies for innovation and transportation, with reviews of sporting venues such as Eden Park and the Auckland Tennis Centre.
However, the deal has been critiqued by some as being a collection of promises without any new funding.
So for our weekly catch-up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March, he and producer Theo discussed the signing of the Auckland City Deal, and how the Green Party would work with Auckland Council on issues such as transportation and infrastructure.
Last week, the Ministry for the Environment together with Stats New Zealand released Our Freshwater 2026, a major report on the state of Aotearoa’s freshwater systems based on decades of data. The report highlights both long-term improvement and deterioration of waterways nationwide, with particular focus on groundwater sources and the impacts of agricultural land use and the climate crisis on water quality.
I spoke to Troy Baisden, co-president of the New Zealand Association of Scientists and Adjunct Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, about what the findings of this report mean and also about the strengths and limitations of freshwater reporting.
Last week, the Government and Auckland Council agreed on the ‘Auckland City Deal’, which seeks to enhance co-ordination between the two bodies to enable better investment in the city to get the most out of what Mayor Wayne Brown has called the ‘Engine’ of the economy. This will see better communication between the mayor and prime minister, co-operation on certain legislation, and funding.
The weekend also saw Cyclone Vaianu hit the country, with parts of the country facing damage and flooding. The government now has the job of responding to the damage, and deciding what needs to change, looking forward to future cyclones.
This week, Host Alex spoke with National Party MP Ryan Hamilton about each of these topics.
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