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.
International research to understand the relationship between degenerative brain diseases and head knocks that occur in contact sports continues to develop, with New Zealand researchers calling for a delay for children’s involvement in contact sports until they are older.
Risk factors are not exclusive to concussions, or to professional players. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Dr. Helen Murray, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Brain Injury & Neurodegeneration Research at Waipapa Taumata Rau, about the recommendation to delay contact sports to reduce the risk of degenerative brain diseases later in life.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with Willow-Jean Prime about Labour’s capital gains tax policy and the defunding of Te Karere and The Hui.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Professor Amin Saikal, Middle East Analyst at Australian National University, on Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti and the responsibility of Israel for the leadership vacuum in Gaza and the West Bank.
Producer Jasmine spoke to Dr. Helen Murray, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Brain Injury & Neurodegeneration Research at Waipapa Taumata Rau, on the recommendation to delay our tamariki starting contact sports until their early teens to reduce the risk of degenerative brain diseases later in life.
Producer Sanat spoke to councillor Shane Henderson about people who are struggling to pay their rates, and regulations around fireworks.
He also spoke to AUT’s Professor of Maori Philosophy of Education Georgina Stuart on the new changes to New Zealand’s Science Curriculum.
The government has finally released its long-coveted curriculum rewrite for subjects ranging from Science to Drama.
The new curriculum has faced growing criticism from sections of the education sector, with some calling the new curricula old fashioned, criticising it for sidelining Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori Knowledge
Thursday Wire Producer Sanat spoke to Professor of Māori Education Georgina Stuart about her views on the changes specifically to New Zealand’s Science Curriculum and whether those changes are fit for purpose.
The future of Palestinian leadership remains unclear as the current Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, remains unpopular and heavily criticised.
One candidate for leadership is Marwan Barghouti, who has been described as a Nelson Mandela-like leader for Palestine. However, he has been imprisoned in Israel since 2004, facing ill-treatment and torture.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to Professor Amin Saikal, Middle East Analyst at Australian National University, about Marwan Barghouti and the broader leadership crisis in Palestine.
The Ministry of Education has recently revealed their new draft math's curriculum for years 0 - 10, making this new curriculum the third in three years.
In announcing the move, Education Minister, Erica Stanford, says the new curriculum is another step forward for the country producing a world-leading system for all students.
However, the new curriculum has faced criticism, such as around the amount of time educators are expected to have implemented the new curriculum.
As a result, multiple open letters have been sent to the government. In an open letter from 44 maths education experts yesterday, they say the changes “seem more political than educational”.
News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Lisa Darragh, a Senior Curriculum and Pedagogy Researcher at the University of Auckland, about this new curriculum and what her thoughts are on it.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about Labour’s new capital gains tax, slashing of funding for the Māori news organisation’s The Hui and Te Karere, and the party’s campaigning plans one year away from the next general election.
And Joel spoke with Lisa Darragh, a Senior Curriculum and Pedagogy Researcher at the University of Auckland, about the government’s new maths curriculum of years 0 - 10.
And Producer Manny spoke with James Russell, Professor of Conservation Biology at the University of Auckland and Peter Morton, Coordinator of the Department of Conservation’s predator control program about an impending explosion of predator populations.
Recently, the Labour Party have unveiled their capital gains tax (CGT) policy.
The policy only targets properties, with the exception of family homes, and farms. The tax policy, according to Labour, will supply all New Zealanders with three free doctor visits yearly.
For our weekly catch up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to him about Labour’s CGT policy, and what the Green’s think of it.
They also discussed the funding cuts for the Māori news organisation’s Te Karere and The Hui, as well as how the Green Party will be campaigning 1 year out from the next general election.
The results of this year’s Te Taunaki Public Service Census highlight that almost a third of disabled public servants felt discriminated against at work. The Human Rights Commission’s disability rights commissioner Prudence Walker believes that the results highlight the need for more support towards public sector workers living with disabilities.
Producer Faith spoke to Prudence about the discriminations faced, and how we can achieve a shift in attitude, rather than just strengthening laws.
The University of Auckland’s Ngā Ara Whetū – the Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society, are hosting a Blue & Green technology conference at the beginning of December looking at how technology can be a part of a climate-resilient future for New Zealand.
Host Sara spoke with Professor Jacqueline Beggs, the co-executive director of Ngā Ara Whetū, who is organising the event.
She started by asking what the Blue & Green tech conference is all about
For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin chats with us about Napoleon’s army, pill-sized bioprinters, and mushroom memory chips.
For Green World, Wire Host Sara spoke to University of Auckland Professor Jacqueline Beggs about an upcoming clean tech conference
Producer Faith spoke to Rob Weinkove from the Malaghan Institute of Medical research about access to medical gene therapies in Aotearoa
Faith also spoke to Prudence Walker from the Human Rights Commission NZ about how disabled public servants need to be better supported.
Tāmaki Makaurau’s council budget is among those impacted by the proposal of a rates cap, considering Tāmaki’s average 5.8% annual rates increase across the 25/26 financial year.
Youth homelessness is a growing concern as discussions continue around “move on” orders for those without housing in Auckland’s CBD.
And the Skycity Convention Centre is set to open in 2026, with high hopes for what it may bring for Tāmaki Makaurau after its prolonged development.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Counsellor Fairey about these topics.
The Trump administration has caused issues of significant food waste due to a range of its policies, including immigration raids, tariffs, cuts to food assistance programmes, and the destruction of food for programmes like USAID.
This has had huge consequences, including environmental impacts, as well as impacts on the estimated more than 47 million people in the US who don’t have enough food to eat, and those who have relied on US foreign aid that has been cut.
For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Garrett Graddy-Lovelace, Provost Associate Professor in Environment, Development & Health at American University, about these issues.
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Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year.
For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.
From today until the 4th of December, a conference will be held in Queenstown that will look into pest management and how best to protect native species.
The event not only brings experts in the sector from Aotearoa, but will also involve Australian experts as well.
Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week’s conference, and what to expect.
The government has recently announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
The ‘shake-up’ of regional councils has left concerns that the move would water down environmental regulations at a local level, reduce Māori and iwi voices in decision making, and would result in central government overreaching into local politics.
As well as this, Parliament’s Justice Committee has recommended passing the Electoral Amendment Bill, albeit with some amendments
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with the changes to regional councils.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka announced the government’s release of the new social housing investment plan which aims to shift to a “needs-based, data driven approach”.
The new flexible fund includes $41 million dollars in operating funding over the next four years, and the government have stated they expect to support up to 770 social homes and affordable rentals in the initial phase.
As well, Health Minister Simeon Brown last week announced a Cabinet decision to stop new prescriptions for puberty blockers for young people identifying as trans or experiencing gender dysphoria.
The rule, in effect from 19th of December, is based on recommendations from a UK National Health Service review which determined that the evidence to the benefits or risks of the treatment was “remarkably weak”.
The government is expected to pause new prescriptions until the outcome of a clinical trial being conducted in the UK, expected to be completed in 2031.
Wire Host Sara spoke with MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, firstly by asking about the flexible fund which will replace the so-called ‘patchwork of programmes’ in place for social housing.
Christmas Lights at MOTAT - experience Auckland’s most magical Christmas lights - heritage trams, festive music, Santa visits, and thousands of sparkling lights Tickets at MOTAT.NZ.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
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