Sof speaks to Jessica Pratt (USA) ahead of her show in Tāmaki on June 11. Listen back here! She also wrote about and interviewed Ichiko Aoba (JPN) ahead of her show on June 3. Read here!
Global military expenditure reached a record high of two point seven trillion dollars in 2024, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This is the tenth consecutive year that military spending has increased across the world.
Last week’s Budget announcement, as with declarations of investments earlier this year, in which $12 billion was committed to defence over the next four years, with an aim to reach 2% of GDP, demonstrate the New Zealand government’s interest in keeping up with global standards.
Peace Movement Aotearoa have called this central government decision “deplorable”, as the same budget made cuts to crucial social services, and has underinvested in urgent issues within sectors like health, climate action, and infrastructure.
Producer Sara spoke with Massey University’s Associate Professor in the Centre for Defence and Security Studies, Anna Powles, about why both global and national military spending is increasing despite other crucial areas needing investment.
Sara also spoke with Peace Movement Aotearoa co-ordinator Edwina Hughes about the effects of this increased militarisation taking priority over efforts to address humanitarian issues.
She began her interview with Associate Professor Anna Powles, by asking what some of the key drivers of this increased global military spending are.
After years of discussion, Auckland Council’s Planning and Policy Committee have approved zoning changes for the city centre, which will see taller buildings and increased development capacity within the Central Business District.
Plan Change 78 sought to increase density and will see double height limits for most of the city centre, up to twenty storeys, unlimited building height for a small section, and the removal of limitations on floor plans to attract investment into a wider variety of building types.
With notification of this decision made tomorrow, the changes are expected to be included in the Auckland Unitary Plan to become operative in June this year.
As well, consultation is currently open in relation to the Western Springs speedway, of which Auckland Council voted in favour of last year based on financial underperformance.
The decision to keep the speedway, develop a new stadium or explore new opportunities for the space has been a hot topic in public debate, with figures like former All Black Sir Bryan Williams, Rich lister Anna Mowbray and her husband, former All Black Ali Williams chiming into the discussion.
Producer Sara spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson this week about both of these topics, starting with the future of development in Auckland’s central city.
Jonny and Bryce discuss the Regulatory Standards Bill which just passed it's first reading under urgency in parliament sponsored by the Act Party's David Seymour. The bill was first created two decades ago by the Business Roundtable and proposes that each new piece of legislation passed by the house needs to consider it from the lens of business interests and property rights. This will be the fourth time the bill has been put forward to the house.
Jessica Pratt (USA) chats to Sof about her latest album Here in the Pitch, her creative process, and the venn diagram of her love for fashion and music, ahead of her show on June 11 at the Bruce Mason Centre.
On Morning Glory, Elle spoke to George Miller of Shock Corridor about their latest single Drag Nets.
George touches on the band's history and how their individual experiences in music have shaped their current sound, giving some context to their "loud and nasty" new single and video.
Jonny chats to Labour MP Deborah Russell about the budget and it's impacts on young people, beneficiaries, and whether it favours high-income earners over social equity.
Last week, the government’s annual budget announcement for 2025 was made, detailing how government spending would be allocated over the course of the year and the programs that would receive additional funding.
While an array of programs are set to receive funding increases, critics have alluded to funding gaps in a number of areas, such as: Environmental Conservation, Māori development and Housing, all of which have received some funding boosts while simultaneously seeing cuts in a number of key initiatives.
For our Weekly Catchup with the Green Party, I spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the party’s take on the Budget 2025 announcement.
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