The construction of the Kennedy Point Marina at Pūtiki Bay on Waiheke Island has been a point of contention for iwi, local residents and environmental groups for some time. 95bFM reporter Tuva'a Clifton spoke with Naawie Tutugoro of Protect Pūtiki and Kitt Littlejohn from Kennedy Point Boatharbour Limited for an update about what each side has been up to during the Delta outbreak and lockdown. Tuva'a also followed up with Emily Maia of Protect Pūtiki to respond to some of Kitt Littlejohns comments.
This week on the show, host Jessica Hopkins spoke to Drowning Prevention Auckland's Chief Executive Nicola Keen-Biggelaar about the dangers of waterfalls.
She also interviewed Commissioner Mark Campbell of the Salvation Army about their aid work in Tonga.
Our regular City Counselling segment is returning for the New Year. Today Jessica spoke to Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson about Auckland Transport’s reduced services and his plans for increasing transport choices for West Auckland residents
And our new Producer Liam spoke to Otago University Immunologist Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu about the preparations our Government and schools are making in case of an Omicron outbreak in Aotearoa.
On our regular City Counselling segment, Jessica Hopkins spoke to Auckland Councillor Pippa Coom about the year ahead for the Council.
They discussed the local elections happening this year, the Government's light rail announcement, and how our recent move to Red has affected Auckland residents.
She also asked Pippa about the controversy surrounding a proposal to put Auckland regional parks into the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.
The anti-mandate protests in Wellington have been going on for nearly three weeks. They’re becoming increasingly problematic, with residents and reporters being threatened.
New Zealand has a long history of protests and this is the most widely-covered protest since the 1981 Springbok Tour. But what makes these anti-mandate protests different?
Sam Clark spoke to sociology Professor Marcelle Dawson from The University of Otago, who specialises in social movements and popular protest.
Justin spoke to Sue Moroney, the chief executive of Community Law Centres Aotearoa, on New Zealand residents who are still stuck in Afghanistan.
He also spoke to the Council of Trade Union's president Richard Wagstaff, and the Child Poverty Action Group's Mike O'Brien on the government's proposal for an unemployment insurance.
Joe talked to Tami Allen of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission on their submission for the health sector reform legislation.
He also chatted with Elin Arbez from the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses on their protest against the Taranaki Cup.
Today, Greenpeace has set sail on a peace flotilla to Helena Bay in Northland, in protest outside Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov’s residence, amidst the conflict in Ukraine. Joe speaks to Niamh O'Flynn, the Programme Director for Greenpeace, while they were on their way to Helena Bay.
Until yesterday, the Ukrainian city of Lviv has been a safe place for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war.
Ukraine says up to 30 Russian missiles have been fired at the Yavoriv military training base near the border with NATO member Poland.
Officials say at least 35 people were killed, and 134 were critically injured in the attack.
A few days before this horrific attack, I spoke with Victoria Vasyliuk, a resident of Lviv who has been hosting refugees from Kyiv.
We discussed what it has been like on the ground for internally displaced people in Ukraine. She also gave a personal account of Russia's aggression against her country.
Please note this interview took place prior to the recent tragedy in Lviv.
The Abel Tasman National Park is currently coming alive to the sound of young kākā following a successful breeding season for the park’s resident birds. Collaborators on the breeding programme including Project Janszoon, DOC and the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust are all celebrating the successful fledging of eight chicks from three nests in the Bark Bay and Torrent Bay areas.
In 2015, Kākā were virtually extinct in the park with only a few wild male birds surviving there. Since then a total of 35 captive-bred birds have been released, with the last release happening in 2019. Most of these birds came from captive South Island kaka but about a third were raised from eggs or chicks collected from Nelson Lakes and Kahurangi National Parks. This year’s chicks were all banded and fitted with a transmitter before they left their nests. They are particularly vulnerable in the period between leaving the nest and learning to fly, which can take up to a week, but most are now competent flyers and adding their tunes to the chorus of the park.
This week on the Wire, Frances speaks with ornithologist Ron Moorhouse and Project Janszoon’s Project Director Bruce Vander Lee about the much loved birds and conservation in the area.
Earlier this week, the government announced the date of the border reopening. The country’s border is set to open for tourists and others from Australia without residence visas from midnight 12 April, and travellers from visa waiver countries such as the US and UK will come in May 2, with mandatory vaccination and a negative pre-departure test. Joe spoke to Dr. David Welch, a Senior Lecturer from the Centre for Computational Evolution and School of Computer Science at the University of Auckland
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