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A bevvy of mid-winter music to lift the mood, including brand new tracks from Georgia Knight and The Circling Sun, plus some classics from the vault like Dam Native, Dimmer and Enigma (cringe or cool?). Listen in for some advice on how to see the New Zealand International Film Festival.

The government has announced that Te Pūkenga is set to return to ‘regional governance,' re-establishing 10 polytechnics that were merged under the previous Labour-led government. In 2020 under the previous Labour-led government, 16 polytechnics and nine industry training organisations were merged into the mega-institute Te Pūkenga, as a “head office”. Despite this, the polytechnics were allowed to maintain their unique images and continue operating. Vocational Education Minister, Penny Simmonds, announced the move, to establish a vocational education system that is “locally led, regionally responsible, and future-focused”. The move has faced backlash. The Tertiary Education Union's national secretary, Sandra Grey, says the move would be a disaster for regional education and that the sector is being treated as a “political football”. For our weekly catchup with the Labour Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke with MP Shanon Halbert, about this move from the government. They also discussed Te Pāti Māori members expressing concerns over Labour's choice of running MP Peeni Henare in the upcoming Tāmaki Makaurau by-election. Te Pāti Māori media liaison, Kiri Tamihere-Waititi, says a vote for Henare would be “wasted,” as Henare already has a seat in Parliament. She has called for people to vote for Te Pāti Māori's candidate, Oriini Kaipara, so that there would be two Tāmaki Makaurau-based Māori MPs in Parliament. But first, they discussed vocational education.

This week on the Thursday Wire: For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to MP Shanon Halbert about the re-establishment on TEN polytechnics that were previously merged under Te Pūkenga, and Te Pāti Māori members accusing the party of being ‘greedy' for running MP Peeni Henare in the upcoming Tāmaki Makaurau by-election. For this week's City Counselling, Producer Sara spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about her recent biking accident and her hopes for road safety in Auckland, as well as the recently released State of the City report. For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Natasha Lindstaedt from the University of Essex on the backslide of democracy in Georgia, particularly due to Russian influence, and the public response. Joel spoke to Tom Wilkinson, a PhD Candidate in History at the University of Auckland, about Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, nominating US President, Donald Trump, for a Nobel Peace Prize. And on Monday, Producer Sam spoke to Peter Adams, a Professor in the School of Population Health at the University of Auckland, about the government's alcohol levy, in light of recent lobbying by the alcohol industry. Whakarongo mai!

David Slack is back on the airwaves for Political Commentary this week - chatting with Milly and Rosetta about his recent Substack piece, which ponders the question "What If There'd Been No Vaccine?" At the time of the Government's Covid-19 enquiry. Whakarongo mai nei! 

Naarm-raised, Ōhinehou (Lyttleton) based artist Georgia Knight has just released her latest single 'Desire' and is on the line to chat with Rosetta about the release! She's also opening for Folk Bitch Trio when they head on tour across the motu later this year. Whakarongo mai nei!

On the 25th of June, our regular City Counselling guest Julie Fairey was involved in a road collision while she was biking in her local area. Fairey wrote about the close call, which she says could have been a lot worse, in a piece published in the Spinoff, as a reinvigoration of her previous advocacy around the need for road safety measures that improve how safely and efficiently Aucklanders can get around the city. As well, this week we've seen the release of the State of the City report, which compares Auckland on metrics including opportunity and prosperity, culture and experience, place and connectivity, innovation and knowledge, and resilience and sustainability. The report found that we are ‘falling behind' other cities, with the biggest emphasis placed on our poor economic productivity in comparison with similar locations. Producer Sara spoke with Julie Fairey about both of these topics, firstly by asking her what motivated her to write about her recent collision.

It's 95bFM Breakfast with Milly and Rosetta! On todays show, the pair catch up with David Slack and ask 'what if there'd been no Covid-19 vaccine?' for Political Commentary - and Georgia Knight phones in to have a kōrero about her new single 'Desire'! Whakarongo mai nei! Thanks to Atomic!

A number of experts have raised concerns recently regarding the “way too friendly” relationship between alcohol industry lobbyists and policy makers responsible for alcohol restrictions and laws in New Zealand. While we have had an alcohol harm-reduction levy in place for over forty years, some experts including University of Auckland School of Population Health Professor Peter Adams, believe that this levy isn't as positive as it seems. As alcohol lobbyists have been granted input and influence in the development of alcohol policies, Adams says that the levy is actually a smokescreen that allows the industry to profit from alcohol consumption without tangibly addressing its harms to the population. On Monday, Producer Sam spoke with Professor Peter Adams about this topic. 

This week on Dear Science, our expert Professor Allan Blackman chatted with us about lightning created from peeling tape, talcum powder causing cancer, and a new type of nitrogen.  Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chatted with us about lightning created by peeling tape, links between talc and cancer, and a new form of Nitrogen.  In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the government's health contributions in light of recent strikes. They also spoke to Emeritus Professor Tim Hazledine about David Seymour's plans to address the supermarket duopoly in Aotearoa.  On the topic of the recent Economy of Genocide report released by UN Special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, producer Sara spoke with both University of Otago's Professor of International Relations Robert Patman, as well as Amnesty International Aotearoa's Margaret Taylor.

ACT Party leader David Seymour announced plans to address the supermarket duopoly at the party summit on Sunday. Seymour proposed that international competitors haven't begun operations in New Zealand due to restrictive approval processes.  Seymour says that while his opponents have proposed breaking up the duopoly or imposing taxes, his solution of introducing a third competitor would be the only truly effective answer.  Wire host Castor spoke to Emeritus Professor of Economics, Tim Hazledine, about his thoughts on Seymour's proposal and alternative solutions to break up the New Zealand supermarket duopoly.

Earlier this month, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council entitled ‘From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide'. The report names companies who have financially supported or sustained Israel's ongoing war and genocide against Palestinians, and highlights pathways to accountability that “transcend legal and diplomatic rhetoric”. She calls on civil society to respond to the actions of Israel in light of the limited power of the United Nations to effectively end the violence.  The United States has since imposed sanctions on Albanese, calling for her removal for allegations they say are “false and offensive”. Exploring more in depth the potential impact of this Economy of Genocide report, as well as the obligation and power of the United Nations as a whole, and the New Zealand government to respond to the situation, Producer Sara spoke with University of Otago Professor for Politics & International Relations Robert Patman, as well as Amnesty International Aotearoa community manager Margaret Taylor. Patman has published two pieces recently, criticising the New Zealand government's failure to adequately respond to the US' role in particular in the violence in Gaza.

It's bFM Breakfast with Milly and Rosetta! Today on the show, the pair chat with Alphabethead about his epic new track 'I'm Lucy Lawless' and signing to Sun Return, and Dr Sereana Naepi is on the show for Ready Steady Learn, to chat about her work on the newly published book 'Oceans Between Us: Pacific Peoples and Racism in Aotearoa'. Plus, Short Player with The Circling Sun thanks to Hunter and NZOA, news, weather, surf, and plenty of tunes! Whakarongo mai nei! Thanks to Atomic! 

Today on Ready Steady Learn, Rosetta and Milly are joined on air by Dr. Sereana Naepi, who is an associate Professor of Sociology at Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland. Sereana was an editor on the newly published book Oceans Between Us: Pacific Peoples and Racism in Aotearoa - an unflinching examination of racism in NZ, featuring essays from 13 Pacific academics analysing racism across education, health, justice and society. Whakarongo mai nei! Thanks to The University of Auckland.

Alphabethead AKA David Morrison dials in for a kōrero with Milly and Rosetta about his new track 'I'm Lucy Lawless' - an epic launch of his latest electronic music collection, complete with a Xena: Warrior Princess war cry! The trio also catch up about Alphabethead joining the Sun Return whānau, and what we can expect from new music. Whakarongo mai nei!

Last week Pharmac workers announced their first-ever strike over cuts to annual pay increases and deteriorating work conditions. Also last week, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation announced plans to strike on July 30th. The nurses' strike follows concerns around understaffing and overcrowding, with many staff members facing burnout.  These two issues have been attributed to similar causes - not enough funding in the health sector, which is forcing redundancies, increased hours, and understaffing. While the government has committed extra funding to the health sector in the last two budgets, critics say the funding is inadequate and barely catching up to existing deficits.  In our weekly catch-up with the National party, Wire host Castor asked Tom Rutherford about health funding and the government's plans moving forward in light of the two recently announced health workers' strikes.

This is Jaycee's second time hosting the show while Oto is recovering from his recent trip, playing not one but two different vibes packed in one show tonight! Showcasing new shoegaze indie to heavy techno music from asian artists based in Aotearoa and beyond the asian disapora. 

Thanks to The Tuning Fork!

New tracks from Big Thief, Wet Leg, Shelly, Pickle Darling, Soft Bait & more! Whakarongo mai!

Amidst the humid evening, after sweetly reconnecting by the hearth Jack invites up special guests Jane Olsen & Damon Arts. The trios late-night interactions encompass dub/detroit techno, deconstructed beats, dubstep + other flowers

This week on Various Artists! Sof had a kōrero with historian of sex, gender and health in late-twentieth-century Aotearoa and Australia, Cheryl Ware, about her latest novel, Untold Intimacies: a History of Sex Work in Aotearoa, 1978-2008. Maya had a kōrero with Alex Laurie about his current show Nit, On at Grace. She also had a chat with Tess Walker Elliot about her show, on Being Imaged, on now at Window gallery xx

Untold Intimacies: a History of Sex Work in Aotearoa, 1978-2008 is a new book written by historian of sex, gender, and health, Cherl Ware, published by Auckland University Press.  In June 2003, New Zealand became the first country to decriminalise sex work. Through the lived experiences of 25 individuals, the book is an account of the stories of sex workers in Aotearoa and the industry's transformation over this critical 30 year period.  Drawing on new and archival interviews, Ware tells their stories through an in-depth historical investigation from the regulation of brothels with the Massage Parlours Act of 1978, through the struggle for decriminalisation to the legally mandated national review of the law in 2008. Sofia had a kōrero with author Cheryl Ware about the importance of this body of research, writing the book, and her reflections now.

Alex Laurie is a Tamaki Makaurau based artist, working amongst sculpture and installation in response to site specific and architectural contexts. The title of his current show on at Grace, Nit, is a three letter homonym referring to: 1. The egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect 2. A foolish person 3. A unit of luminance used to measure brightness Within Nit Laurie resumes his long standing fascination with vessels. A magical sculptural water vessel awaits viewers as they enter the gallery. Luring them in closer through its hypnotic circular movements of 5 wooden goblets amongst a bath of milky water. Venturing further into the gallery, a scullery of translucent spoons and ladles quickly shift into these illusionary ciphers that nod to the form of an egg. Sinking in and out of their surroundings, refracting the light as they fall between. Maya had a kōrero with Alex Laurie about the show, and overall practice.

Alex Laurie is a Tāmaki Makaurau based artist, working amongst sculpture and installation in response to site specific and architectural contexts. The title of his current show on at Grace, Nit, is a three letter homonym referring to: 1. The egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect 2. A foolish person 3. A unit of luminance used to measure brightness. Within Nit laurie resumes  his long standing fascination with vessels. A magical sculptural water vessel awaits viewers as they enter the gallery. Luring them in closer through its hypnotic circular movements of 5 wooden goblets amongst a bath of milky water. Venturing further into the gallery,  a scullery of translucent spoons and ladles quickly shift into these illusionary ciphers that nod to the form of an egg. Sinking in and out of their surroundings, refracting the light as they fall between. Maya had a kōrero with Alex Laurie about the show, and overall practice

Featuring The Wake-Up Call prize thanks to Atomic Coffee, a chat with Dr Kirsten Zemke about scat bebop  for Travelling Tunes, Viewmaster with Litia, and Cam's vinyl reccommendations for From the Crate, thanks to Southbound Records!

Dr Kirsten Zemke phones into the studio to have a yarn with Annabel and Callum about jazz scat vocals and is evolution this morning on Travelling Tunes!  Playlist: Dizzy Gillespie - Oop-Pop-A-Da (1947-1994 Remastered) Tania María - Yatra – Ta (1981) Mark Murphy - Bebop Lives (Boplicity) (2015)  

Cam's picks for today include tracks from Tami Neilson's forthcoming album Neon Cowgirl,  The Circling Sun's Orbit, and Kokoroko's Tuff Times Never Last.   Selections: Tami Neilson - Neon Cowgirl (ft. Neil Finn)  The Circling Sun - Mizu Kokoroko - Just Can't Wait    Thanks to Southbound Records

Tess Walker Elliot is a Tāmaki Makaurau based artist, working amongst analogue photography processes. Her Practice is Centered around engaging with the archive, working across both personal and national archives. Within Her Current show at Window Gallery, On being Imaged, Walker Elliot draws on her own personal medical archives. Engaging with x-rays and Ultrasounds to examine the depersonalization of the medical image and environment. Pulling the x-rays back into a place of dark room photography process, using the x-rays as photo negatives that walker elliot then layers with external images of her own body. Attempting to bring these medical images back into a place of the body, of the personal. Resulting in a series of images that wrestle with the dissolving of the external image into their own abstraction through the internal image  Maya had a kōrero with Tess walker Elliot about the show and overall practice

A recent study from the University of Otago shows that more than twenty percent of children in Aotearoa who've been infected by Covid-19 still suffer persistent, ongoing symptoms. Producer Faith spoke to Larisa Hockey from the Long Covid Kids organisation about how long covid affects children, and how children are specifically at risk.

Hearings on the regulatory standards bill are currently underway, with around 23,000 total submissions both written and oral. Early analysis of the submissions estimated 88% percent are in opposition, while only 0.3% are in support.  The bill has been pushed by Minister for Regulation and ACT Party leader David Seymour, who says it should support the government to reduce regulation and ensure the protection of individual rights and private property. The bill has been criticised for not including clauses around Te Tiriti o Waitangi or environmental protections. It has also been criticised for potentially undemocratic elements, placing large amounts of control in the hands of the unelected Ministry for Regulation. In our weekly catch-up with the National party, Wire host Castor asked Tom Rutherford about the regulatory standards bill in light of the select committee hearings and new criticisms.

Oto and Jaycee talked to Tāmaki Makaurau singer-songwriter Beizou about her debut single "Too Comfortable," her influences and plans for future releases as she officially begins her journey as an artist. 

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science, our expert, Daniel Thomas chatted with us about rice arriving in the Pacific, native forests sinking carbon, and seaweed used for grooming orcas.  In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the regulatory standards bill in light of it going to select committee.  Producer Faith spoke to Larisa Hockey from the Long COVID Kids organisation about the effects of Long COVID on children, and how the issue should be addressed. She also spoke to the CEO of Cannabis Clinic NZ, Dr. Waseem Alzaher, about the stigma around medicinal cannabis. 

Featuring Ready, Steady, Learn thanks to the University of Auckland!

Dr Alicia Didsbury, a research fellow in the Faculty of Science, joins Hugh Sundae in the studio to chat about her research into cell and gene based therapies for Cancer treatment.  Thanks to the University of Auckland.

New research shows that two thirds of Kiwis believe there is still a stigma around medicinal cannabis usage, and that users are still subject to negative stereotypes. Producer Faith spoke to Dr. Waseem Alzaher from Cannabis Clinic NZ about the stigma, and what steps need to be taken to normalise its usage.

Skanks & Praises

This week on Dear Science, our expert, Daniel Thomas chatted with us about rice arriving in the Pacific, Aotearoa's native forests sinking carbon, and orcas using seaweed to groom themselves.  Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!

Oto and Jaycee chatted with Beizou about her debut single "Too Comfortable" and played 2 hours of lo-fi downtempo songs by singer-songwriters from the Asian diaspora.

"Now come on, would Eli have played that?" - Anon.