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.
PC 120 or Plan Change 120 was announced for Auckland as a way to boost housing intensification along public transport hotspots and in the CBD. The plan was celebrated as a way to ensure Auckland remains livable as a city into the 21st century, reducing traffic around key centres and increasing affordability.
The plan was met with criticism from those living in affected central neighbourhoods, such as Mount Eden, Parnell, Ponsonby, and Epsom. Some residents say the changes will diminish the character of the neighbourhoods or make things much busier, disturbing their way of life.
Intensification is difficult, therefore, as a balancing act between multiple parties. To discuss how developments can work as we move into a city fit for the 21st century, News Director Castor spoke to Dr. Mohsen Mohammadzadeh from the University of Auckland’s school of architecture and planning.
Last week, the Infrastructure Commission’s first National Infrastructure Plan was released. Outlining a number of different suggestions for infrastructure, the plan has been tabled to parliament by Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop. One such suggestion is the introduction of a $9 toll on the harbour bridge, and any new harbour crossing, in order to fund the construction of any new crossing.
Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke with Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland, Timothy Welch, about this suggestion, and how it should play into Auckland’s infrastructure future.
Big Gay Out was held by the Burnett Foundation on Sunday, and appearances from some politicians were met with controversy, ending with a protestor’s removal from the main stage.
There have been discussions of a $9 toll to finance a new harbour crossing this week, while Auckland council’s Value For Money committee has also commenced for 2026.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about these topics, alongside new council initiatives that utilise AI.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about the Employment Relations Amendment Bill, the National Infrastructure Plan, and the Salvation Army’s Station of the Nation Report.
They also spoke to E Tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh and University of Auckland Teaching Fellow Simon Schofield on the impact of the Government’s Employment Relations Amendment Bill.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Jasmine spoke to Councillor Fairey about the presence of politicians at Big Gay Out, tolling a new harbour crossing, local government’s Value for Money committee and council’s use of AI
And she spoke to Zero Waste Aotearoa’s Sue Coutts about mining e-waste for minerals instead of fast-tracking new mining shafts.
A fast-track consent is currently being sought for a major gold mine in Cromwell, Central Otago.
This follows the approval of a controversial $8 billion dollar mine that received fast-track approval for the Coromandel in December.
Local response has largely presented environmental concerns, and raise questions of alternative initiatives for mineral mining in Aotearoa.
Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Sue Coutts, Director of External Affairs at Zero Waste Aotearoa, about the potential of e-waste and a circular economy for mining gold and other materials.
For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the National Infrastructure Plan and the Employment Relations Amendment Bill.
Producer Theo then spoke to Greenpeace’s Executive Director, Russel Norman, on the government’s decision to pursue the construction of a liquified natural gas terminal in Taranaki.
And after that, Host Manny spoke to Ora Taiao Co-ordinator Marnie Prickett, about the government's plans to merge several key ministries, in a move that has raised their alarm.
To little fanfair the government announced a huge overhaul of key ministries, merging the Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the local government functions of the Department of Internal Affairs into a new agency.
Coming on the back of the yet more fast-track approvals reforms, which have cut out community voices like Forest and Bird, and led to criticisms of environmental destruction, the move is a huge overhaul in governance, leaving many critics alarmed that this is yet another move pulling the country away from climate mitigation and adaptation.
To understand why the government's plans to merge these key ministries is alarming them, I spoke to Ora Taiao Co-ordinator Marnie Pricket.
Last week, the government officially announced plans to build a liquified natural gas (or, LNG) terminal in Taranaki, with the goal of finishing construction by next year or early 2028.
The terminal is intended to provide a stopgap for New Zealand’s energy network during dry years, where hydro sources may not generate sufficient energy to support the network.
Coming at a cost of over a billion dollars, a new levy on electricity users of two to four dollars per megawatt hour, will be introduced to help fund the terminal.
However, the project has already faced criticism from groups such as Greenpeace, who pointed to the poor economic viability of the terminal and its further investment in fossil fuels during the climate crisis.
To understand more, producer Theo spoke to Greenpeace’s Chief Executive Russel Norman on the ramifications of this plan, and possible alternatives for mitigating dry year risk.
For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman chats with us about a new solar solution, the periodic table anniversary, and the latest research on human senses
For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Sara spoke to National MP Ryan Hamlilton about Wellington’s wastewater treatment plant failure, the State of the Nation, and NZ First’s call for a Māori seats referendum
For Green World, news-teamer Alex spoke to Nikolai Siimes, a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Auckland, about Biodynamic Alternatives to Fungicides
Producer Vihan spoke to the University of Auckland’s Shahper Richter on balancing AI and human values.
Last week the ACT Party announced a new health policy that would see the responsibilities of pharmacists expanded to move pressure away from GPs. The idea of the policy is that for less significant health issues, people could see their local pharmacist instead of their GP, reducing wait times and costs for the public.
Also last week, the government announced plans to scrap the broadcasting standards authority. The announcement follows a period of complaints from the government over the BSA, which had ruled on online broadcaster The Platform. The government (and The Platform) say that the BSA shouldn’t be able to make rulings on online broadcasters, but some others disagree.
Without the BSA, many of the restrictions and rules that broadcasters are held to could disappear. In addition, the BSA offers a vehicle for members of the public to hold said organisations to account. Without the BSA, avenues for public feedback on poor conduct are minimal.
For this week’s catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News Director Castor asked about each of these issues, beginning with the party’s new health policy.
Auckland Council has approved their first-ever transport policy statement, which, together with the central Government’s Policy Statement on Land Transport, will shape the future of transport funding in Auckland.
And a petition is being hosted on Our ActionStation that calls on the Government to strengthen protections for the Waitākere Ranges.
For City Counselling, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson about both of these topics.
The Government has signed a new Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies with Singapore, aimed at keeping crucial goods like fuel, food, medicine and construction materials moving during future crises.
Meanwhile, ACT has released a new immigration policy, framing it as a way to make immigration “work for New Zealand,” with proposals including tougher deportation settings and requirements for migrants.
And leaked emails around New Zealand’s response to US strikes on Iran have raised questions about the coalition’s foreign policy direction.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke with Shanan Halbert on these topics.
In 1915, the Ottoman Empire began a campaign of arrests, deportations, death marches, and massacres that we now call the Armenian Genocide. The campaign itself took place in a wider context of Armenian persecution, but between the years 1915–1916, 1.5 million Armenians, alongside Assyrians and Greeks, were killed.
The term ‘genocide’ was not coined until several decades later, but the academic consensus is that the massacres, rapes, deportations, and destruction of Armenian cultural heritage that took place readily meets the criteria of the term.
At the time, members of Parliament in New Zealand - including the prime minister - decried the atrocities, with at least one representative pointing to what seemed like the murder of the entire Armenian nation. However, New Zealand is not one of the 34 governments and parliaments that officially recognise the Armenian Genocide. This position is in line with the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, Türkiye’s, protracted campaign of denial to this day.
So for this week’s Get Action, producer Theo spoke to Lo Aleen, on their petition for New Zealand to formally recognise the Armenian Genocide.
If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here.
Last week, the Green Party's bill to protect overdose emergency callers from legal risks received cross-party support, passing its first reading, keeping it on track to potentially become law. Minor infractions, such as minor possession and paraphernalia, would be overlooked when calling for emergency services to obtain help for someone overdosing.
And an Official Information Request by the Herald into Winston Peter’s Foreign Minister’s office revealed disagreements between the NZ First Leader and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon over the Coalition government's stance on the war with Iran, with the prime minister pushing for greater support for the United States bombings.
So for our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Green Party’s overdose emergency callers bill and the revelations over the US war with Iran.
The past few weeks have seen the New Zealand First Party and the National Party trading jabs, with the crux of the issue beginning with the India Free Trade Agreement.
The issue began with NZ First refusing to support the trade agreement, leading Labour to collaborate with National and back it to fruition. NZ First Deputy Leader Shane Jones expressed his concerns over the bill, making derogatory comments about an implied mass arrival of Indian immigrants.
The comments were rejected by ministers in National, ACT, Labour, the Greens, and Te Pāti Māori. Despite these criticisms, little has been done in response, and the coalition government remains intact.
Following the incident, another disagreement was observed when NZ First Leader Winston Peters leaked emails that indicated a disagreement between him and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon over New Zealand’s response to US Strikes on Iran. The emails allege that Luxon wanted to express support for the strikes, though New Zealand’s official response only acknowledged them.
Finally, the government has also been looking into changing how treaty principles influence policy. The plan has been criticised for its similarities to the Treaty Principles Bill, which was rejected in parliament and by the public, who protested en masse in 2024 against the bill. The current proposed changes are not set to be discussed by parliament until August.
For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party's Simon Court, News Director Castor asked him about each of these issues, beginning with the party’s take on discourse between NZFirst and National.
The government is reviewing Treaty of Waitangi references across 28 pieces of legislation, with concerns that stronger obligations could be reduced to simply “taking into account” Treaty principles.
At the same time, New Zealand has signed a new Free Trade Agreement with India, while incidents of anti-Indian graffiti and political comments about Indian communities have raised concerns about rising anti-Indian sentiment in Aotearoa.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke with Shanan Halbert about proposed changes to Te Tiriti, the NZ–India Free Trade Agreement, and rising anti-Indian sentiment in New Zealand.
Last week, the Green Party released a statement highlighting the recently released Dental For All report, which they say confirms that New Zealand can afford a free, universal public dental service.
And the recently signed Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand is being touted as a pivotal moment, garnering support from both Labour and National parties, however, NZFirst MP and coalition minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Shane Jones, expressed his opposition to the agreement with derogatory comments against potential indian immigrants that have drawn the ire of other parliamentary parties.
So for our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, I spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Green Party’s Dental policy and their stance on the Free trade agreement with India.
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