Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Castor Chacko, Alex Fox, Emmanuel Orange, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has made a last-minute amendment to the Tīkapa Moana Protection Bill that would create new “high protection” areas in the Hauraki Gulf.
The amendment would allow commercial fishing in these newly created protected areas.
Wire Host Caeden spoke to Dr Simon Thrush, Professor of Marine Science at the University of Auckland, about what he thought of the latest amendment.
And they spoke to Forest and Bird Advocate Bianca Ranson about their opposition to the bill amendment.
The Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ just released Our Air 2024, a three yearly report featuring data on air pollution levels and its impacts.
The report found that, while concentrations of various particulates had reduced, and overall air quality in Aotearoa had improved, air pollution had a much greater contribution to diseases and birth defects across the country than previously expected.
Oto spoke to Dr Joel Rindelaub, a senior lecturer in Chemical sciences at the University of Auckland, to discuss the report and the impacts of air pollution on the human body.
Apathy, distress and hopelessness are common things to joke about among young people. Doomscrolling and bedrotting are among some of the terms used to describe general apathy and lack of motivation towards our current world.
New Zealand has one of the highest reported news avoidance rates in the world at sixty-percent choosing to not seek out news. New Zealanders are frustrated with the quality of news reporting and negative news stories, fuelling a worsening mental state. Social Media also has a part to play in how people receive news, now mainly focused on pop-culture icons rather than real journalism.
Sasha spoke to Doctor Alex Beattie, a lecturer in Media and Communication about why New Zealanders actively choose to ignore the news and apathy within the youngest generations. We also spoke about a new era of escapism versus a culture of overproduction in our society.
For their regular catch-up, Wire Host Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about the recent amendments to the Hauraki Gulf protection bill and the impacts of commercial fishing, the recent 1news Verian poll showing that 40% of New Zealanders think Aotearoa is in a worse state today than it was last year, and the Samoan Citizenship Bill drafted by fellow Greens MP Teanau Tuiono getting getting passed in the select committee and moving on to it’s second reading.
He also spoke to Dr Joel Rindelaub, a senior lecturer in Chemical sciences at the University of Auckland, to discuss the recent report by the Ministry of Environment and Stats NZ analysing air pollution in Aotearoa and its Impacts.
Producer Sasha spoke to Doctor Alex Beattie, Lecturer in Media and Communication at the University of Victoria who is a lead author on a research discussing why New Zealanders avoid the news.
News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Professor in the Faculty of Law at the Auckland University of Technology, Paul Myburgh, and Lecturer in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago, Dr Bridie Allan, about an Court of Inquiry being called for the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui in Samoa, and the subsequent oil spillage that has occurred due to the incident.
Recently, the HMNZS Manawanui sank off the coast of Samoa, after hitting a reef and catching fire.
Following the sinking, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced a Court of Inquiry, after being called on by a Samoan International Relations expert based in New Zealand.
Usually, similar incidents regarding major maritime vessels would be investigated by Maritime New Zealand, and may also be referred to the Transport Accident Investigation Commission. However, as the Manawanui was a naval vessel engaged in governmental activity, the NZDF is holding the inquiry.
News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to a Professor in the Faculty of Law at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Paul Myburgh, about what this inquiry could mean.
As well as this, an estimate of up to 200,000 litres of diesel has leaked into the ocean from the wreckage.
New Zealand's Deputy Chief of Navy, Commodore Andrew Brown, says that there is currently no evidence that the spillage has come from the main fuel tanks onboard, which appear to be intact.
This comes as the Chief of the Navy, Rear Admiral Garin Golding, told RNZ’s Morning Report that roughly 950 tonnes of diesel fuel was onboard when the HMNZS Manawanui sank.
They also spoke to a Lecturer in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago, Dr Bridie Allan, about how much of a concern the spillage is so far, and what the environmental implications of the spillage could look like.
The STAR community group covers an area in West Auckland mostly along the coastline, set up to respond to the large storm events at the start of last year for residents to support one another.
Wire host Castor spoke to Dorothy Wilson from the group about the impact on the ground, and what people want to see from the government in a new emergency management system.
They began by asking about the immediate fallout of the weather events last year.
For Dear Science this week, our expert Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about the Nobel prize winners.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Katie Nimon about overhauling the emergency management system and the government’s climate targets.
They also spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, George Laking, one of the authors of Te Meu o Te Wai, a report looking into the outcomes of Cyclone Gabrielle and making recommendations to the government.
And they spoke to Dorothy Wilson from the Stickered Area Residents Group about how people on the ground are still responding to cyclone damage.
On the Green Desk this week we heard the second half of our reporter Jack Marshall’s chat with Spinoff Wellington editor Joel McManus about how things are going in the Big Apple of Aotearoa.
Among the various inquiries into the government’s response to last year's Auckland Anniversary and Cyclone Gabrielle flooding was Te Weu me Te Wai, a report assessing the floods' impact on marginalised communities and identifying potential changes the government could make.
Wire host Castor spoke to Associate Professor George Laking, one of the report’s authors, about the issues with the current system and the report’s recommendations.
A year and a half ago Cyclone Gabrielle made landfall, thrashing the North Island with widespread damage.
The disaster left many without a home, and over a year on houses are still red stickered, people are left waiting for insurance assessments, and climate change is still causing extreme climate events.
Earlier this month the Otago region was affected by major flooding, damaging homes and other community centres.
Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, George Laking says that extreme weather events like these impact people’s homes, whānau and livelihoods, and in the wake of them it’s paramount to consider people’s mental health.
Following Cyclone Gabrielle, Laking identified five key health priorities that should be prioritised in natural disaster responses.
Producer Evie spoke to Laking about these responses, how they related to Cyclone Gabrielle, and how they could be better applied in the wake of the Otago floods.
New Zealand is currently facing its highest numbers of whooping cough cases since early 2019, with 187 cases being reported in September, more than double the cases that were reported in August.
The spike has resulted in Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora to say that Aotearoa is “on the cusp” of a national outbreak.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand has since called for urgent action regarding the concerning rise in the infection.
Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Chief Executive of the foundation, Letitia Harding, about the rise in cases, and how we can tackle the rising cases.
Last week, NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft put forward a bill that would seek to define the terms “man” and “woman” in law. The bill has been supported by coalition parties through its first reading. Its primary supporters in parliament, ACT and NZ First, say the bill is about prioritising biology over ideology, or about maintaining common sense.
Its opponents, however, say the bill is unnecessary, and that the ideology pushed by its supporters does not align with evidence. Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the human rights commission, says that the bill is “not necessary”, and “risks harm to communities who continue to experience discrimination on the basis of their gender identity”.
Disability Rights Commissioner and Rainbow rights spokesperson at the Human Rights Commission, Prudence Walker, sez the bill will not only “trample on the mana of trans and intersex people”, but it also “attempts to completely erase non-binary people”.
Despite the strong opposition, the government is pushing for the bill to be considered in select committee.
For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News Director Castor asked about the bill and why the government is bringing it about.
DISCLAIMER: this interview covers multiple anti-trans talking points, and briefly discusses sexual violence.
A survey of Automobile Association members' views on time-of-use charging has been presented to the Auckland Council’s Transport and Infrastructure Delivery Committee.
The survey found that members were open to congestion charging if it worked, even if they thought it was unfair.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins gave a ‘State of Auckland’ speech last week, focusing on the need for cross-party collaboration on infrastructure projects.
Wire Host Caeden spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson about both of these topics.
Crypto investment schemes are spreading across the Pacific, often through trusted family, church, and community networks. While they are promoted as offering financial freedom and fast returns, regulators have warned that some schemes carry serious risks and limited protections for investors.
Producer Pranuja spoke with Associate Dean Pacific Sione Taufa about how trust can be exploited in Pacific communities, why endorsement matters, and what people should know before investing.
The Government is heading into Budget week with plans to cut the core public service, and RNZ reports public servants' fears that their jobs are once again on the line. At the same time, questions have been raised over MFAT being spared from cuts, and the Government has unveiled major changes to secondary education through its proposed NCEA replacement.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke with Shanan Halbert about public service cuts, Budget priorities, and what the education overhaul could mean for students and teachers.
This week has seen discussions on New Zealand Firsts announcement that if they win the election they plan to buy BNZ and nationalise it into kiwibank, a plan some estimate to cost $30,000,000,000 and has been completely ruled out by their coalition partner in the National Party. Despite this, it’s sparked conversations around how we should be engaging with our banking sector, the vast majority of it dominated by Australian owned banks.
And critics fear that National party changes to the accommodation supplement is going to hit poor working families at a time they’re already doing it rough, nullifying other support that they are offering the rest of the country more broadly, repeating a pattern of policies that hurt poorer communities worse than the rich.
So for our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March on what impact he thinks will come from restrictions to the accommodation supplement, particularly for the poor, they then discussed New Zealand Firsts policy to buy BNZ bank, and whether minor parties tend to over promise if they are constrained by the major parties who they will inevitably have to work with if they make into parliament.
Last week, National MP Catherine Wedd’s members bill for an Under-16s social media ban was paused. Instead, Education Minister Erica Stanford has pledged to, before this years election, bring a wider and more robust proposal for a ban in a larger bill.
Last week also saw Prime Minister Christopher Luxon make comments about the National Party’s stance on immigration, amidst criticised changes to compliance officer powers, and previous spats and comments over immigration policy between government coalition partners.
And with the budget expected next week, promises have begun to be made by the government for where funding can be expected, particularly within education.
Host Alex spoke with National MP Ryan Hamilton about these topics, starting with the Social Media ban.
Since 1986, the Ministry for the Environment has been the central policy advising entity in New Zealand for environmental issues. The government has recently proposed the Environment Amendment Bill, which seeks to disestablish the Ministry for the Environment, which would be amalgamated into a larger Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport.
For Green World this week, Wire producer Liam spoke with Professor Nicolas Lewis, of the University of Auckland’s School of Environment, about these proposed changes, how they fit in with the government's current priorities around the environment, and the impact this may have on New Zealand in the short-term and long-term.
Recent weeks have seen the government adopting a series of policies targeted at immigration. Some of these policies are set to be introduced immediately, while others are proposals for the upcoming election. What all of these policies have in common is that they aim to respond to an idea that there is a subset of immigrants who are making society in New Zealand worse.
This is a narrative that we’ve seen dominate conversations about immigration overseas, particularly in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. It often leads to gross displays of racism, with mass riots and crackdowns on people who have done nothing wrong. With these recent policies and media attention towards the anti-immigrant rhetoric in Aotearoa this month, concerns have been raised over whether those overseas developments could be seen here.
For this week’s catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News Director Castor planned to ask about both immigration and the move-on orders for rough sleepers, though we ran out of time to discuss both. They began by asking Simon about the government’s recent stance on immigration.
95bFM 
