Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Jessica Hopkins, Castor Chacko, Nicholas Lindstrom, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
For Dear Science this week, Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted to us about underwater bumblebees, UV light for biofilm, and data analysis by Borderlands players.
Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s James Meager about absence rates in schools, ministry of education job cuts, and the school cellphone ban.
He also spoke to President of the Secondary Principals Association NZ and Principal of Papatoetoe Highschool about these same issues from a frontline perspective.
Producer Sofia spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland Faculty of Law, Carrie Leonetti, about criminalising stalking.
A University of Otago study assessing the harm reduction behaviours of people who consume MDMA and their use of reagent testing and KnowYourStuff's drug checking service, found most MDMA consumers engage in harm reduction practices relatively frequently.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to lead author of the study, PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago, Jai Whelan, about why it is important for drug-checking services to be accessible in Aotearoa.
She started off the interview by asking Whelan about what harms MDMA can cause and how to prevent it.
For our regular catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins spoke to MP Simon Court about pet bonds and no-cause evictions.
She also spoke to PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago, Jai Whelan, about calls to increase the accessibility of drug checking services across the country.
Producer, Ezra, spoke to Senior Lecturer of Law at The University of Auckland, Dylan Asafo, about the proposed Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill and the implication of Tiriti-based constitution on Māori, Pacific, and tauiwi relations.
Created to fill a gap in self-reporting well-being models; Ngaruroro ‘s development was a collaborative process.
The model includes eight key themes in relation to wellbeing;
1) Here tāngata (social and familial ties)
2) Te taiao (the environment)
3) Taonga tuku iho (cultural treasures)
4) Tinana (body)
5) Wairua (spirit)
6) Ngākau (inner-system)
7) Matea (core needs)
and,
8) Mana (authority)
Nicholas spoke to the lead author of the article and PhD researcher at Victoria University of Wellington, Finely Ngarangi Johnson (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) about Ngaruroro. We also spoke about the application of well-being models.
Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March to discuss their submission to the select committee regarding the Fast Track Approvals bill.
And,
E Tu Union Negotiation specialist, Michael Wood, to discuss E Tu’s claim against TVNZ with the Employment Relations Authority.
Rachel spoke to New Zealand’s Association of Scientists Co-President, Professor Troy Baisden, about the government’s proposed changes to coal mining provisions.
Nicholas spoke to PhD researcher at Victoria University, Finely Ngarangi Johnson about Ngaruroro, a new Māori wellbeing model.
And, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, speaks to Associate Professor in Hauora Māori at the University of Otago, Esther Willing (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Koata, Ngā Ruahine), about flu vaccines no longer being free for children under 12, or Māori and Pacific people aged 54-66.
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board will be soon launching their Youth Seat Trial programme, built in partnership with local youth board Younite, to facilitate further meaningful youth engagement in local democracy for year 12 and 13 students in the area. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Devonport-Takapuna Local Board Chair, Toni Van Tonder, about this initiative.
The Public Health Communication Centre of Aotearoa have publicised their submission that is strongly against the proposed fast-track approvals bill. The submission outlines seven objections, ranging from democratic rigour to the imperative relationship between the environment and the health of New Zealanders. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to research fellow Marnie Prickett about the organisation’s submission.
A reminder that today is the last day for the public to submit this legislation so if you’d like to share your feedback you can use the objections listed on the PHCC website to make your own.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour party Caeden chats to Priyanca Radhakrishnan about funding cuts to disability caregivers and job cuts at the Department of Conservation.
For City Counselling they also speak to Councillor Shane Henderson about Watercare signalling an increase in Water Rates, and a boost in funding for arts in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Caeden also speaks to Lola Fisher about the disestablishment of the Whanganui Youth Council.
And they speak to Professor Ralph Cooney for the University of Auckland about the importance of communicating Climate Change to the community.
Jasmine speaks with Devonport-Takapuna local board Chair Toni Van Tonder about their upcoming Youth Seat trial and the importance of youth inclusion and engagement in local government.
And she speaks with Research Fellow Marnie Prickett about the Public Health Communication Centre of Aotearoa’s submission against the fast-track approvals bill ahead of opportunities for feedback on the legislation formally closing tomorrow.
Disability communities have been rallying against a surprise change in purchasing rules in the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha. Communities have said the changes will have massive impact, despite no consultation on these changes or a formal announcement.
The Department of Conversation also recently proposed staffing cuts to meet funding demands. DoC controls a third of Aotearoa’s landmass which is all conservation land. It remains uncertain how job losses in the Ministry could impact conservation land management.
For weekly catch-up with the Labour party Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour spokesperson for Disability Issues and Conservation Priyanca Rahdakrishnan about both of these issues.
Watercare has signalled a potential rates increase for Aucklanders this year, while council balances needing funding for infrastructure in a cost of living crisis.
Council has also approved a $1 million dollar funding boost to Arts and Culture, which could have significant benefits to local communities.
For City Counselling Wire Host Caeden asks Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson about both these topics.
On Wednesday Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni dominated political headlines with news that she is believed to be a contestant on this year's season of Celebrity Treasure Island.
The last MP to compete on a reality TV show was David Seymour, who competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2018. This appearance resulted in a now infamous video of Seymour twerking in 80s getup.
Last years Celebrity Treasure Island also drew headlines for including famous political figures, notably Tame Iti.
Political news this week has also included an announcement from Paul Goldsmith that the Government is looking at stopping election day voter enrolment due to the administrative burden.
Caeden asked about both these topics for our weekly catch-up with Carmel Sepuloni. They started by asking if she would appear in Celebrity Treasure Island.
On the 19th of December 2022, Farzana Yaqubi, a 21 year old law student at AUT, was murdered by a man who had been repeatedly stalking her and sending her threatening messages on social media. In the months leading up to her murder, Farzana made multiple police reports with evidence of her experienced stalking, urging law enforcement to intervene. However, her reports were effectively disregarded and treated as low priority, as there are no official laws in Aotearoa that criminalise stalking.
Farzana’s murder triggered a call to the government from numerous women’s rights advocates across the motu to come up with more effective legislation to criminalise stalking and establish more effective preventative measures in law enforcement.
For this week’s Get Action! Oto spoke to Leonie Morris from the Auckland Women’s Centre, to discuss a petition calling for the official criminalisation of stalking.
If you're interested, you can sign the petition here:
For Dear Science this week Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted to us about an orangutan treating its own injury, beluga whales changing the shape of their foreheads, and the development of skin burn healing bandages from plant based materials.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party’s Carmel Sepuloni I ask about MPs getting a pay raise, recent polling results that showed an increase in support for Labour, and a new policy from Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka which would prioritise whānau with tamariki for social housing.
Weekly Palestine protests have taken place in Britomart since last October, and an action in support of Palestine with several hundred students took place at the University of Auckland last night.
For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden asked Councillor Shane Henderson for his stance on the Palestine protests, as well as Council’s view more generally.
They also ask about the community impacts of half priced public transport for under 25s, which ended on May 1st.
The government recently made a series of changes to the licensing requirements for early childhood centres to be able to operate.
These include repealing the network approval provisions for people looking to establish early learning centres and removing the Person Responsible Staff requirements to have a full teaching licence.
The government justified these reforms by saying regulation cuts would make it easier for early childhood centres to operate, thus addressing Aotearoa’s teacher shortage.
However, many Kaiako working in early childhood education have said deregulation does not address the root causes of the teacher shortage, and that more focus is needed on addressing pay inequality for teachers within the sector.
For this week’s Get Action! Oto spoke to Early childhood Kaiako and member of the New Zealand Educational Institute, Hayley Cross, to discuss a petition from the union to the government calling for pay parity in early childhood education.
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