The Wire with Joel

A NZ Herald article has copped flak for publishing what some are deeming a transphobic article, in which a Kiwi teen spoke out about her school’s decision to allow a transgender student to use the girl’s bathroom. The piece has come under fire for promoting harmful speech. bFM reporter Jogai Bhatt speaks to Megan Bowra-Dean about the issue. 

Minister for the Environment, Nick Smith, is set to release a statement this week on the state of New Zealand’s fresh waterways. Currently, the standard for New Zealand freshwater systems states that they must at least be wadeable. But more than 12,000 kiwis have signed a Green Party petition that calls for the government to up their game and make the country's waters swimmable. 95bFM reporter Adel Abied speaks to Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty about the issue. 

Yesterday the Resident Doctor’s Association announced that they'd come to an agreement with the District Health Boards over safer rosters. The deal guarantees doctors safe working hours with no more than 10 consecutive rostered days, and also they will not be rostered on for more than 4 consecutive night shifts of up to 10 hours. 95bFM's Dylan Kelly speaks to resident doctor Catherine Foster about her interpretation of the deal and whether the changes are adequate.

Watercare is proposing to build a new water treatment facility in a Oratia, a small community in the foothills of the Waitakere Ranges. However this proposed watercare system comes at a cost to the community. Watercare needs to acquire property for their new site, and the displacement of 18 local families will result if the proposal goes ahead. Ashleigh McCaull spoke to Oratia resident Paul Goldsmith to get a sense of how the community is feeling.