Recent research has shown New Zealanders are the most wasteful people in the developed world, producing 3.86kg of waste per capita per day. The problem is set to get worse with China refusing to take much of the low grade plastic is has previously disposed of for us. I spoke with Jo Knight from Zero Waste NZ about waste in Aotearoa and what we need to do to produce less of it. I began by asking her why we produce so much waste.
Late last week the AUT Gambling and Addictions Research Centre, Hapai Te Hauora Tapui, The Salvation Army, and The Problem Gambling Foundation announced their support for three new global gambling guidelines. The guidelines aim to provide straightforward quantitative limits for people of legal gambling age who want to make more informed choices about their gambling.
To reduce gambling harm, these three guidelines must be followed -
HOW MUCH? Gamble no more than one percent of household income per month.
HOW OFTEN? Gamble no more than four days per month.
HOW MANY? Gamble regularly on no more than two types of gambling or games.
News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston speaks to Associate Professor and Director of the Gambling and Addictions Research Centre at AUT Maria Bellringer, who was part of the research process that led to these guidelines. They discuss why global gambling guidelines are important, how they might be used in Aotearoa, and how receptive the gambling industry is to public health and regulatory advice on gambling habits.
Tonight's show was actually entirely curated by bFM's own Samuel Harmony, who sent Oto and Jaycee, not just a playlist, but a stack of CDs and Casettes that he collected while he was in Indonesia as part of the New Zealand Delegation attending AXEAN Festival 2025. Whakarongo mai to experience 2 hours of Psych rock, folk, disco and more by Southeast-Asian artists playing at the festival!
Happy New Year and with that Walao starts off strong with Co-Host Jaycee showing us demos and his top plays and discoveries from 2025. From Hyperpop to experimental, what a treat!
A new study led by the University of Otago has found that, each year, firearms injuries are costing the New Zealand hospital system an average of $1.48 million and costing the country a further $321 million in years of life lost. The researchers investigated firearms-related hospitalisations and deaths from assaults, accidents and suicide between the years 2000 and 2018. The total cost of hospital care over the 19 years was $28.2 million.
Lead researcher Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, a senior research fellow at the University of Otago, Wellington, says more than 1,000 people died and 2,115 people were hospitalised as a result of firearms incidents between 2000 and 2018. More than 80 per cent of those hospitalised needed surgery, with most of the injuries from accidents.
To talk about this study, Producer Max spoke to Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard.
This week, a study was launched which looked into the location of vape stores around schools in Aotearoa. In the study it was found that 44% of schools in New Zealand have a vape store within a one-kilometer radius, and that 13% have a dedicated store within 300 meters.
This is despite a legislation being passed by the government in 2023, which banned specialist vape stores from opening within 300 meters of schools and marae, the legislation however, allowed existing vape shops to continue operating.
Ronan Payinda, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Auckland, who led the study, says that he saw the explosion of vaping while he was at school in Northland, and felt that New Zealand was failing as a society to grapple with its potentially serious health effects.
To talk about this, Producer Max spoke with Ronan Payinda.
Teachers from primary and secondary schools are calling out the Education Minister for massively overstating school funding increases and playing Trump-style politics with children's education. The NZEI and PPTA called a press conference yesterday to challenge the outgoing minister to explain herself. Parata has claimed that school funding has increased by 35 per cent under a National government, when it's only really increased by 2.3 per cent. Producer Jess Smith speaks to the President of NZEI Lynda Stuart to learn more, starting with the question of what claims were actually made.
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