In Transparency International's 2016 public perception of corruption index, New Zealand was ranked first equal with Denmark. However, in December of the same year, the largest bribery case in New Zealand's history came to a close with guilty verdicts for co-defendents Murray Noone and Stephen Borlase. Earlier in the year New Zealand was also mentioned in the Panama Papers, more than 10 million leaked documents from law firm Mossack Fonseca. Bfm producer Ben Goldson spoke first with Herald reporter Matt Nippert, who covered the Noone-Borlase trial, and then to investigative journalist Nicky Hager, who worked on the Panama Papers.
A new non-government organisation, The Backbone Collective, has launched fighting the battle against domestic violence in New Zealand. The organisation gives a voice to women survivors of violence to help push change in the right direction. Using surveys gives the organisation a chance to hear what the women who have suffered or are suffering need in order to feel safe enough to speak out. 95bFM reporter, Tess Barnett, spoke to Deborah Mackenzie from The Backbone Collective about the state of domestic violence in New Zealand and what they believe is critical to bringing change.
Bfm news director Ximena Smith talks to Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei about potential changes to Superannuation and planned reforms of the Resource Management Act.
This week on the show, Ximena, Ben & Tess look into a new group advocating more action around addressing domestic violence in New Zealand and have their fortnightly chat with Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters also joins them for a chat at the end of the show about the party's prospects going into this year's election & about some of key issues in politics at the moment.
NZ First leader, Winston Peters, joins Ximena live in the studio for a chat. They talk about NZ First's anti-establishment position going into this year's election, and also discuss the party's positions on a range of key topics of the moment, including immigration, crime and housing.
Despite saying they are open to all university students with an interest in European culture, the ‘Auckland University European Students Association’ has been accused of promoting white supremacy through its imagery and slogans online. bFM reporter Amanda Jane Robinson spoke to the President of the European Students Association, who does not wish to be named due to safety concerns. Since the interview, the Association have released a statement saying they are disbanding as a university club and withdrawing their application to be affiliated with the Auckland University Students Association. Amanda also spoke to Justine, a student protesting the group, about the withdrawal.
79-year-old Fang Ruzhen immigrated to Auckland to help raise her grandchildren. Fifteen years on English is still a foreign language, but she has found community with other elderly Chinese expats on her weekly bus rides to the Asian supermarkets of East Auckland. Filmmaker Julie Zhu is set to make a documentary about this community through the Loading Docs program. bFM reporter Amanda Jane Robinson talked with Julie about the project.
The World Health Organisation released a list of antibiotic resistant pathogens on Tuesday. These pathogens are in need of research for new treatments however here in New Zealand we are lucky enough to be safe from most of these bacteria’s for now. bFM reporter Tess Barnett spoke with a senior lecturer in Otago’s department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dr James Ussher, about what these pathogens are and where this list places New Zealanders
This week, Amanda and Tess looked at the controversy surrounding the Auckland University European Students Association including interviews with the Association's President and a student protestor. We had our weekly chat to Radio Adelaide's Nicole Wedding for Neighbourhood Watch, and our weekly discussion with National MP Jami-Lee Ross. We also looked at New Zealand's standing in the world of antibiotic resistant pathogens, new documentary East Meets East exploring the community of elderly Chinese expats who take weekly bus rides to the Asian supermarkets of East Auckland.
Lucy and Maha join us in the bFM studio to discuss their new TVNZ miniseries So This Happened. Each episode outlines an individual experience, and all with a comedic element. But for the most part, the series deals with quite poignant issues women must face in their day-to-day lives. bFM reporter Jogai Bhatt spoke with them to learn more.