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.
Earlier this year Green Party MP Chloe Swarbrick had an alcohol harm minimisation bill voted down by Parliament which would have limited alcohol advertising in sports amongst other measures.
Since today is their 18th bday, Caeden spoke to Chloe about her bill and the drinking culture that kicks in with the drinking age.
They started by asking if Aotearoa has a drinking culture problem.
Family for Every Child, VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren have come together to collaborate with Tick 4 Kids, a movement designed to stimulate conversation around what must be done to improve the lives of children and young people in Aotearoa.
Today on the Wire Beth spoke to Christina Howe from Grandparents Raising Grandchildren about Tick 4 Kids’ scorecard, a survey that Family, VOYCE and GRG contributed to, that asks political parties which policy solutions surrounding care and protection they will implement if elected.
Other scorecards have been developed across other liveable incomes including housing, health, education, belonging, climate action and youth justice.
This election year marks 30 years since Aotearioa changed to a mixed member proportional system or MMP.
News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to PhD candidate in New Zealand Politics at the University of Otago Michael Swanson about what impact this change has had on politics in Aotearoa.
She started off the interview asking about what MMP is and how it differs from our previous electoral system, First Past the Post.
For their weekly catch-up, News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins speak to Green Party Co-Leader James Shaw about violence against political candidates and farming in a climate-crisis world.
She also spoke to PhD candidate in New Zealand Politics at the University of Otago Michael Swanson about the MMP system 30 years on.
Arno spoke to researcher in public health at the University of Otago, Dr Anja Mizdrak about research modelling alcohol advertising.
He also spoke to general Manager of Economic and Environmental Insights and Statistics at Stats NZ, Jason Attewell about record high temperatures in New Zealand.
And he spoke to optometrist Andrew Yu about people foregoing eye health checks due to costs.
Newly released data has shown eight of ten of the warmest years in recorded NZ history have been in the last decade. Among other freak weather events this year, concerns are raising about climate change and the effect we are having on our environment.
To find out more, Arno spoke to Jason Attewell, General Manager of Economic and Environmental Insights and Statistics at Stats NZ.
Arno started our interview by asking how long climate data has been recorded for.
A modelling study from the University of Otago has found that increasing alcohol taxes, reducing its availability, and banning marketing would result in significant health gains for New Zealanders.
To find out more about these health gains and what policies could be implemented to reduce alcohol harm, Arno spoke to Dr Anja Mizdrak, a senior research fellow at the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago Wellington.
Arno started our interview by asking what the purpose of the study was.
Last Election, The Auckland Central seat was won by the Green Party’s Chlöe Swarbrick, the second Green MP to win an electorate seat.
Recent polling has shown National Candidate Mahesh Muralidhar only two percent behind the incumbent Chlöe Swarbrick.
In the lead up to the election, Nicholas will be speaking to the Auckland Central Candidates from Labour, National, The ACT Party and The Green Party about issues facing this electorate.
Nicholas asked the candidates questions about housing security and affordability, public transport policy, relationship with the Auckland Council, and climate resilience.
In this interview, Nicholas speaks to Auckland Central Candidate Felix Poole from the ACT Party.
The pricing of New Zealand produced food has been put into the spotlight as there have been reports of New Zealand products being sold for less money overseas.
A new Grocery Commisioner has been appointed to look into matters regading the supply and retailing of Food in New Zealand.
Nicholas spoke to Emeritus professor of nutrion at AUT Elaine Rush about New Zealand’s Import and export of food.
Davide Mercadante joins the show for Dear Science to discuss a breakthrough in the commercial production of synthesised Spider silk.
Nicholas spoke to Auckland Central Candidates Oscar Sims from the Labour Party and ACT Party candidate Felix Poole about Housing security and affordability, Public Transport policy, Working relationships with Auckland Council and Climate resilience.
Producer Josh Black spoke to First Union Researcher and Policy Analyst, Edward Miller. About their latest campaign to stop "Bankflation"
Nicholas also spoke to Emeritus Professor of Nutrion at AUT Elaine Rush about New Zealand's Food Imports and Exports.
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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