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.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden asked about the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election, the latest update on an Amazon Data Centre opening in Auckland, and a new exemption to the ban on foreign buyers.
For International Desk, they spoke to Associate Professor in Disaster Resilience at the University of Newcastle, Iftekhar Ahmed, about the recent earthquakes in Afghanistan and the challenges of the disaster response.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Sanat spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson about the rise in Dog attacks across Auckland and public opposition to Auckland Council’s proposed housing intensification changes.
After that he spoke to Vanessa Cole from the Public Housing Futures campaign about New Zealand’s state housing system and why the campaign is fighting for higher quality state housing.
He also spoke to Tertiary Education Union spokesperson Sandra Grey about the Government’s response to the University Advisory Group’s report.
This week, more than 36,000 Nurses Organisation members will be going on strike following months of failed negotiations with Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand.
The ongoing concerns amongst striking nurses are nurse wages and understaffing in hospitals across Aotearoa.
Health Minister Simeon Brown directly condemned NZNO’s decision to organise this strikes this week, saying that the strikes would delay more than 13,000 elective surgeries and appointments. However, NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku and other nurses joining the strike said that the health minister’s comments were out of touch with the situation on the ground for nurses, that understaffing was putting both nurse and patient health at risk and that both Simeon Brown and Health NZ had neglected nurse needs and their calls for proportionate wage increases for some time.
Wednesday Wire Host Oto spike to Nuku about this topic.
For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party Oto spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the new laws allowing Foreign Investors to buy homes in Aotearoa, the ongoing nurse strikes happening this week and the Greens members bill to change laws regarding overdose responses.
He then spoke to New Zealand Nurse Organisation Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku for a follow-up conversation about the current nurse strikes.
Max spoke to John Minto, Co-Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, to discuss the ‘Gaza Riviera’ plan that was leaked to the Washington Post earlier this week.
And he also spoke to Dr. Ritesh Shah from the University of Auckland, to discuss why Universities in New Zealand choose to stay neutral on topics such as Gaza and whether a neutral stance is right
Lately, our government, civil society organisations and UN bodies have all condemned the range of human rights abuses Israel is currently committing against the Palestinian population. However, universities in New Zealand, like in many other parts of the world, have made an intentional decision to remain neutral in their position on Gaza, despite public sentiment shifting on this issue.
This stance of international neutrality can be traced back to a 1967 study known as the Kalven report. But was this report ever relevant? And should it still apply today?
To discuss this, as well as what Universities could potentially do to act against Israel, Producer Max spoke to Dr Ritesh Shah, a senior lecturer of comparative and international education and the co-director of the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Study at the University of Auckland.
If you'd like to sign this open letter you can find it here.
Earlier this week, The Washington Post published a leaked prospectus for a ‘Gaza Riviera’ plan that had reportedly been circulating the White House.
Named the “Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation Trust” or ‘GREAT’, the plan includes the forced displacement of Gaza’s entire population of 2 million people, as well as the territory being placed into a US trusteeship for at least a decade. Although it’s not yet clear whether the plan reflects US policy, it seems to match US President Donald Trump’s previously stated ambitions to “clean out” Gaza and redevelop it.
Critics of the plan identify it as a blueprint for mass deportation and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people disguised as a marketing development, and that if the plan were to be executed it would include international crimes on an unimaginable scale.
To discuss what the leaked plan says about US foreign policy under Trump and how Aotearoa, as well as other countries, should respond to this, Producer Max spoke with John Minto, Co-Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.
For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Daniel Thomas all about ‘interactions’
For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Sara spoke to MP Carl Bates about the government’s plans to fix up the supermarket duopoly, changes to the Alcohol Sale and Supply act, and Judith Collins legislation for Defence Force workers
For Green Desk, Sara spoke to University of Otago’s Dr Thomas Mattern about the Tawaki Project on New Zealand’s penguin populations
Faith spoke to psychological medicine researcher Dr. Aida Dehkhoda about assisted dying, and how doctors, patients, and their families can be better supported
Act Party MP Todd Stephenson has recently re-lodged his End of Life Choice Amendment Bill, and incorporated all 25 recommendations from the Ministry of Health’s independent review.
Many doctors believe that in order to effectively carry out assisted dying practices, they need to be properly supported.
Psychological medicine researcher Dr. Aida Dehkhoda recalls that while most of these doctors and nurses affirm their patients’ autonomy and right to choose… challenges still persist.
Producer Faith spoke to Dr. Dehkhoda about how these practitioners can be better supported, and some of the challenges faced on the frontlines.
The Tawaki Project based at the University of Otago and driven by the mahi of international researchers, has taken a deep-dive into the population genetics of three Aotearoa crested penguin species – tawaki/Fiordland penguins, erect-crested penguins, and Eastern rockhopper penguins.
Findings reveal how genetic health and marine habitat changes have impacted these species.
For this week’s Green Desk, Host Sara spoke with co-leader of the project, Dr Thomas Mattern about what the study learned about these penguin populations, starting with a general overview of the research
In the past week, we’ve seen several noteworthy legislative moves across sectors.
First, the government is seeking to address New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly as the cost of groceries for kiwi remains high across the motu.
Economic Minister Nicola Willis announced numerous legislative changes that she hopes will improve supermarket competition in New Zealand.
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has also shared some proposed changes to the Alcohol Sale and Supply Act, including limiting barriers to the approval of liquor licenses and making it easier to provide alcohol in special circumstances.
Finally, Defence Minister Judith Collins has approved changes that make it easier for the Defence Force to cover the operations of striking workers.
Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Bates about these topics.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Government has confirmed plans to disestablish the Broadcasting Standards Authority and move toward a self-regulation model for media complaints, raising questions about accountability, misinformation, and audience protection.
It has also been confirmed that the Fees Free tertiary scheme will be scrapped in the upcoming Budget, while the new citizenship test has sparked debate over whether it strengthens civic knowledge or creates another barrier for migrants.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke with Shanan Halbert about these topics.
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