Recent scrutiny surrounding foreign political donations have flared after revelations that the National party received one hundred and fifty thousand dollars as a gift from Chinese Billionaire Lang Lin. Lin is an prominent figure in the Chinese horse racing industry and mad the donation through the Inner Mongolian Ride Horse Industry Group. This large sum has lead to fears over foreign influence on New Zealand’s political system. While the cap for overseas donations are supposedly set at fifteen hundred dollars, Lin managed to skirt these laws by donating through a New Zealand based company. Some, such as Victoria University's Dr Simon Chapple have called for an outright ban on foreign donations, as well as a cap on domestic ones. William Boyd spoke with Dr Lara Greaves from the Politics department at the University of Auckland about the laws on donating and the unequal amount gifted to right-leaning parties. William started off by asking Dr Greaves to clarify what the current laws are over foreign donation.
Today on the show Will battles through having eaten too much food to play some relaxing tunes for the soul and the gut. The usual suspects today with the gig guide and tasty remix.
Today on your bFM Breakfast: What a glorious morning to start counting down the NZVAPOR Top 95; Dr. Kirsten Zemke pops in to join the fun, bringing Bossa Nova to the party; and Johanna's back for Stage Direction, this week talking about her must-see performances. A special day for 95bFM as we countdown the Top 95 songs voted by the listeners. Arohanui.
Sherry spoke to general manager democracy services from Auckland Council, Marguerite Delbet, on One Stop Shops: booths set up to allows people to enrol and vote at the same time in the local elections. Sherry also ask hers on voter turnout in local elections, lowering the voting age and civic engagment. Sherry begins by asking her where these One Stop Shops are.
On Thursday the 17th of October, the government announced a new mental health facility in the Waikato. The $100 million project is set to replace the aging Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre which David Clark says is no longer fit for purpose. The Mental Health Foundations Chief Executive, Shaun Robinson joins Laura Kvigstad to discuss why placing funding on infrastructure is important in addressing Aotearoa's mental health crisis.
The Ministry of Education is reforming the education system, shifting responsibilities away from principals and the Board of Trustees. This will replace the self-governing regime created in 1989, and give more power to the New Education Service Agency. Changes will include how enrolment schemes are set up in regards to zoning, along with buildings and maintenance. There reforms arose from a taskforce report released last year.
Sherry spoke to two principals part of the Community Schools Alliance, who oppose the reform. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori Motuhake o Tāwhiuau principal, Pem Bird, is concerned Maori students will not be supported due to the lack of bicultuaralism in the education system. Auckland Grammar School Headmaster, Tim O'connor, doesn't believe the ministry will hold schools to account due to the lack of detail in the report.
Unicef released a report last year which ranked New Zealand at 33 out of 38 for educational inequality across preschool, primary school and secondary school levels in the OECD.
Tina shares a bunch of records scrounged recently and some of the awesome Aotearoa r&b artists who got some well deserved acknowledgement from the music industry
95bFM